My company decided to do away with their company car program and replace it with a pay-by-the-mile allowance program, so I need to buy a car to replace the company car, and the less I spend on fuel, the more of that allowance goes into my pocket.
My house has a roof full of solar panels, so electricity is basically free for me. My daily mileage varies, but most often ends up around 50 miles/day. Every so often I have to travel to a location a few hundred miles away to deal with a somewhat urgent situation, which means full electric won’t work because I can’t wait for my car to charge.
It seems that a Plug-in hybrid with as much range as I can get would work best. It looks like a Used Honda Clarity or Chevy Volt would be the best options. I would prefer to keep the price under 25k, although I’d consider up to $35k for a new car if it were significantly better, but I don’t see newer plug-ins offering any more range.
I am 170 lbs, my wife is 115 lbs… we aren’t big people, we don’t have kids, we’ve never had more than two passengers in our back seat, so the additional passenger space of the Clarity isn’t much use to me. I do have a dog, and I like to keep him and all of his fur behind the rear seats, so the fact that the Volt is a hatchback is useful to me. I actually prefer driving a smaller car if I don’t need the extra space.
I’m not sure, but I think that because the Volt was made in the USA, there may be a tax refunds available in addition to the fact that used Volts tend to be cheaper. The only reason why I would consider the Clarity over a Volt is my pro-Honda bias. I grew up with Honda Civic and Accord wagons as the family cars, and the two best cars I’ve ever owned were Honda's
My brain knows that the Volt is the obvious choice, but my heart wants a Honda. I’d love to hear from real people who’ve owned Volts and/or Clarities to hear how your experiences were.

I'm wondering if anyone has customised their sewing machine to run on manual power. As in instead of electricity, it's been adapted to work when attached to an excersise bike or pedals of some sort.

Why YSK: Because the prices have increased by a substantial amount, and if you are someone that is looking to buy or sell a home this affects you directly.
So, air conditioning is something a lot of people take for granted. I'm a tech in the HVAC industry and the most difficult thing I have to do is explain to people why the new air conditioning system they need is costing them $12k when the article they just read says the average cost of a system is only $8k in the U.S.
The reason why is because that article you are reading was published in 2022. HUGE changes hit the HVAC industry this year on January 1, and homeowners do not know about it. I am constantly going to appointments with customers who's AC finally crapped the bed after 15 years and they're shocked to see the price to have it replaced.
So, if you have never heard the term SEER before, it stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. Essentially it is a rating that is placed on HVAC equipment that reflects it's energy consumption during heating and cooling season. The higher the SEER rating, the more energy efficient it is to run during peak conditions (middle of summer and winter), therefore lowering your gas and electric bills. As the SEER rating on equipment goes up, so does the price when you install it. Last year, a basic 14 SEER system would run you about 7-9 grand depending on what brand, what tonnage, any job specific related stuff like ductwork modifications, etc. The problem now is equipment is no longer being produced based off of SEER ratings.
As of January 1 this year, the EPA implemented a new system called SEER2. Essentially what has happened is the standards for newly produced air conditioning equipment has been raised. In order to achieve a higher energy efficiency score, higher bars have to be met as far as the equipment's performance in peak conditions. So, what was a 14 SEER system last year would be closer to a 12-13 SEER2 system this year. The numbers between different model number and brand match ups all fluctuate a bit, but the biggest thing is systems that are rated below 13.4-14.3 SEER 2 (depending on where you live in the U.S.) systems are no longer allowed to be installed on new construction homes.
These new requirements did two things to the HVAC industry. On the manufacturing side of things, every single company nation wide got slapped with a letter that said "hey, your new equipment has to meet these new efficiency standards. Make it better." So that drove the cost of equipment production up. Production of old SEER rated equipment completely stopped. Those units are no longer being made. It's all the new more efficient systems now. The old systems that could be modified to meet the new criteria were, the rest were bought up, rush installed, or junked. So, now we have more expensive equipment and supply chain issues because the manufacturers are still climbing out of the mud pit that was becoming compliant with new efficiency changes.
On the retail side, this has directly impacted the price going out to the consumer. Oh, slap an economic recession on top of that? Yeah, prices have gone up.
The absolute cheapest system I have been able to quote so far this year was $9,000 dollars, and that job was pretty minimal fuss. 9 grand was what I was quoting for 15-16 SEER equipment last year depending on the brand. This year? That's the entry level 14.3 SEER2 system. My average ticket price so far this year? $13,000.
Now there are obviously going to be price fluctuations from company to company. Smaller companies (one location, maybe a couple dozen employees) can offer lower prices because they have less overhead. Larger companies are insured, bonded, usually have strong ties to distributors and manufacturers, and can handle larger jobs/more complex homes. Regardless of which you choose, Joe from Joe's Heating and Air and Joseph from HVAC United are both going to give you an estimate that is a lot more expensive than last year.
Point is, if you've got an older system, now is the time to either get it regularly maintained and tuned up by a professional or start preparing your wallet. If you're looking to sell your home, the age of your AC system directly affects the price of your home, and buyers are being very choosy right now over HVAC in houses. If you're looking to buy, I don't blame you. With prices being what they are, I would definitely hire licensed HVAC company to do a full system assessment before signing a contract. If you don't, you might be inheriting a massive bill in a few short years.

Uranium is a chemical element with symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium radioactively decays by emitting an alpha particle. The half-life of this decay varies between 159,200 and 4.5 billion years for different isotopes, making them useful for dating the age of the Earth. The most common isotopes in natural uranium are uranium-238 (which has 146 neutrons and accounts for over 99% of uranium on Earth) and uranium-235 (which has 143 neutrons). Uranium has the highest atomic weight of the primordially occurring elements. Its density is about 70% higher than that of lead, and slightly lower than that of gold or tungsten. It occurs naturally in low concentrations of a few parts per million in soil, rock and water, and is commercially extracted from uranium-bearing minerals such as uraninite.[6] Many contemporary uses of uranium exploit its unique nuclear properties. Uranium-235 is the only naturally occurring fissile isotope, which makes it widely used in nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. However, because of the tiny concentrations found in nature, uranium needs to undergo enrichment so that enough uranium-235 is present. Uranium-238 is fissionable by fast neutrons, and is fertile, meaning it can be transmuted to fissile plutonium-239 in a nuclear reactor. Another fissile isotope, uranium-233, can be produced from natural thorium and is studied for future industrial use in nuclear technology. Uranium-238 has a small probability for spontaneous fission or even induced fission with fast neutrons; uranium-235, and to a lesser degree uranium-233, have a much higher fission cross-section for slow neutrons. In sufficient concentration, these isotopes maintain a sustained nuclear chain reaction. This generates the heat in nuclear power reactors, and produces the fissile material for nuclear weapons. Depleted uranium (238U) is used in kinetic energy penetrators and armor plating.[7][8]
The 1789 discovery of uranium in the mineral pitchblende is credited to Martin Heinrich Klaproth, who named the new element after the recently discovered planet Uranus. Eugène-Melchior Péligot was the first person to isolate the metal and its radioactive properties were discovered in 1896 by Henri Becquerel. Research by Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner, Enrico Fermi and others, such as J. Robert Oppenheimer starting in 1934 led to its use as a fuel in the nuclear power industry and in Little Boy, the first nuclear weapon used in war. An ensuing arms race during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union produced tens of thousands of nuclear weapons that used uranium metal and uranium-derived plutonium-239. Dismantling of these weapons and related nuclear facilities is carried out within various nuclear disarmament programs and costs billions of dollars. Weapon-grade uranium obtained from nuclear weapons is diluted with uranium-238 and reused as fuel for nuclear reactors. The development and deployment of these nuclear reactors continue on a global base as they are powerful sources of CO2-free energy. Spent nuclear fuel forms radioactive waste, which mostly consists of uranium-238 and poses significant health threat and environmental impact. Uranium is a silvery white, weakly radioactive metal. It has a Mohs hardness of 6, sufficient to scratch glass and approximately equal to that of titanium, rhodium, manganese and niobium. It is malleable, ductile, slightly paramagnetic, strongly electropositive and a poor electrical conductor.[9][10] Uranium metal has a very high density of 19.1 g/cm3,[11] denser than lead (11.3 g/cm3),[12] but slightly less dense than tungsten and gold (19.3 g/cm3).[13][14]
Uranium metal reacts with almost all non-metal elements (with the exception of the noble gases) and their compounds, with reactivity increasing with temperature.[15] Hydrochloric and nitric acids dissolve uranium, but non-oxidizing acids other than hydrochloric acid attack the element very slowly.[9] When finely divided, it can react with cold water; in air, uranium metal becomes coated with a dark layer of uranium oxide.[10] Uranium in ores is extracted chemically and converted into uranium dioxide or other chemical forms usable in industry.
Uranium-235 was the first isotope that was found to be fissile. Other naturally occurring isotopes are fissionable, but not fissile. On bombardment with slow neutrons, its uranium-235 isotope will most of the time divide into two smaller nuclei, releasing nuclear binding energy and more neutrons. If too many of these neutrons are absorbed by other uranium-235 nuclei, a nuclear chain reaction occurs that results in a burst of heat or (in special circumstances) an explosion. In a nuclear reactor, such a chain reaction is slowed and controlled by a neutron poison, absorbing some of the free neutrons. Such neutron absorbent materials are often part of reactor control rods (see nuclear reactor physics for a description of this process of reactor control).
As little as 15 lb (6.8 kg) of uranium-235 can be used to make an atomic bomb.[16] The nuclear weapon detonated over Hiroshima, called Little Boy, relied on uranium fission. However, the first nuclear bomb (the Gadget used at Trinity) and the bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki (Fat Man) were both plutonium bombs.
Uranium metal has three allotropic forms:[17]
α (orthorhombic) stable up to 668 °C (1,234 °F). Orthorhombic, space group No. 63, Cmcm, lattice parameters a = 285.4 pm, b = 587 pm, c = 495.5 pm.[18] β (tetragonal) stable from 668 to 775 °C (1,234 to 1,427 °F). Tetragonal, space group P42/mnm, P42nm, or P4n2, lattice parameters a = 565.6 pm, b = c = 1075.9 pm.[18] γ (body-centered cubic) from 775 °C (1,427 °F) to melting point—this is the most malleable and ductile state. Body-centered cubic, lattice parameter a = 352.4 pm.[18]
The major application of uranium in the military sector is in high-density penetrators. This ammunition consists of depleted uranium (DU) alloyed with 1–2% other elements, such as titanium or molybdenum.[19] At high impact speed, the density, hardness, and pyrophoricity of the projectile enable the destruction of heavily armored targets. Tank armor and other removable vehicle armor can also be hardened with depleted uranium plates. The use of depleted uranium became politically and environmentally contentious after the use of such munitions by the US, UK and other countries during wars in the Persian Gulf and the Balkans raised questions concerning uranium compounds left in the soil[8][20][21][22] (see Gulf War syndrome).[16]
Depleted uranium is also used as a shielding material in some containers used to store and transport radioactive materials. While the metal itself is radioactive, its high density makes it more effective than lead in halting radiation from strong sources such as radium.[9] Other uses of depleted uranium include counterweights for aircraft control surfaces, as ballast for missile re-entry vehicles and as a shielding material.[10] Due to its high density, this material is found in inertial guidance systems and in gyroscopic compasses.[10] Depleted uranium is preferred over similarly dense metals due to its ability to be easily machined and cast as well as its relatively low cost.[23] The main risk of exposure to depleted uranium is chemical poisoning by uranium oxide rather than radioactivity (uranium being only a weak alpha emitter).
During the later stages of World War II, the entire Cold War, and to a lesser extent afterwards, uranium-235 has been used as the fissile explosive material to produce nuclear weapons. Initially, two major types of fission bombs were built: a relatively simple device that uses uranium-235 and a more complicated mechanism that uses plutonium-239 derived from uranium-238. Later, a much more complicated and far more powerful type of fission/fusion bomb (thermonuclear weapon) was built, that uses a plutonium-based device to cause a mixture of tritium and deuterium to undergo nuclear fusion. Such bombs are jacketed in a non-fissile (unenriched) uranium case, and they derive more than half their power from the fission of this material by fast neutrons from the nuclear fusion process.[24]
The main use of uranium in the civilian sector is to fuel nuclear power plants. One kilogram of uranium-235 can theoretically produce about 20 terajoules of energy (2×1013 joules), assuming complete fission; as much energy as 1.5 million kilograms (1,500 tonnes) of coal.[7]
Commercial nuclear power plants use fuel that is typically enriched to around 3% uranium-235.[7] The CANDU and Magnox designs are the only commercial reactors capable of using unenriched uranium fuel. Fuel used for United States Navy reactors is typically highly enriched in uranium-235 (the exact values are classified). In a breeder reactor, uranium-238 can also be converted into plutonium through the following reaction:[10]
Before (and, occasionally, after) the discovery of radioactivity, uranium was primarily used in small amounts for yellow glass and pottery glazes, such as uranium glass and in Fiestaware.[25]
The discovery and isolation of radium in uranium ore (pitchblende) by Marie Curie sparked the development of uranium mining to extract the radium, which was used to make glow-in-the-dark paints for clock and aircraft dials.[26][27] This left a prodigious quantity of uranium as a waste product, since it takes three tonnes of uranium to extract one gram of radium. This waste product was diverted to the glazing industry, making uranium glazes very inexpensive and abundant. Besides the pottery glazes, uranium tile glazes accounted for the bulk of the use, including common bathroom and kitchen tiles which can be produced in green, yellow, mauve, black, blue, red and other colors.
Uranium was also used in photographic chemicals (especially uranium nitrate as a toner),[10] in lamp filaments for stage lighting bulbs,[28] to improve the appearance of dentures,[29] and in the leather and wood industries for stains and dyes. Uranium salts are mordants of silk or wool. Uranyl acetate and uranyl formate are used as electron-dense "stains" in transmission electron microscopy, to increase the contrast of biological specimens in ultrathin sections and in negative staining of viruses, isolated cell organelles and macromolecules.
The discovery of the radioactivity of uranium ushered in additional scientific and practical uses of the element. The long half-life of the isotope uranium-238 (4.47×109 years) makes it well-suited for use in estimating the age of the earliest igneous rocks and for other types of radiometric dating, including uranium–thorium dating, uranium–lead dating and uranium–uranium dating. Uranium metal is used for X-ray targets in the making of high-energy X-rays.[10]
The use of uranium in its natural oxide form dates back to at least the year 79 CE, when it was used in the Roman Empire to add a yellow color to ceramic glazes.[10] Yellow glass with 1% uranium oxide was found in a Roman villa on Cape Posillipo in the Bay of Naples, Italy, by R. T. Gunther of the University of Oxford in 1912.[30] Starting in the late Middle Ages, pitchblende was extracted from the Habsburg silver mines in Joachimsthal, Bohemia (now Jáchymov in the Czech Republic), and was used as a coloring agent in the local glassmaking industry.[31] In the early 19th century, the world's only known sources of uranium ore were these mines. Mining for uranium in the Ore Mountains ceased on the German side after the Cold War ended and SDAG Wismut was wound down. On the Czech side there were attempts during the uranium price bubble of 2007 to restart mining, but those were quickly abandoned following a fall in uranium prices.[32][33]
The discovery of the element is credited to the German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth. While he was working in his experimental laboratory in Berlin in 1789, Klaproth was able to precipitate a yellow compound (likely sodium diuranate) by dissolving pitchblende in nitric acid and neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide.[31] Klaproth assumed the yellow substance was the oxide of a yet-undiscovered element and heated it with charcoal to obtain a black powder, which he thought was the newly discovered metal itself (in fact, that powder was an oxide of uranium).[31][34] He named the newly discovered element after the planet Uranus (named after the primordial Greek god of the sky), which had been discovered eight years earlier by William Herschel.[35]
In 1841, Eugène-Melchior Péligot, Professor of Analytical Chemistry at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (Central School of Arts and Manufactures) in Paris, isolated the first sample of uranium metal by heating uranium tetrachloride with potassium.[31][36]
Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity by using uranium in 1896.[15] Becquerel made the discovery in Paris by leaving a sample of a uranium salt, K2UO2(SO4)2 (potassium uranyl sulfate), on top of an unexposed photographic plate in a drawer and noting that the plate had become "fogged".[37] He determined that a form of invisible light or rays emitted by uranium had exposed the plate.
During World War I when the Central Powers suffered a shortage of molybdenum to make artillery gun barrels and high speed tool steels they routinely substituted ferrouranium alloys which present many of the same physical characteristics. When this practice became known in 1916 the USA government requested several prominent universities to research these uses for uranium and tools made with these formulas remained in use for several decades only ending when the Manhattan Project and the Cold War placed a large demand on uranium for fission research and weapon development.[38][39][40]
A team led by Enrico Fermi in 1934 observed that bombarding uranium with neutrons produces the emission of beta rays (electrons or positrons from the elements produced; see beta particle).[41] The fission products were at first mistaken for new elements with atomic numbers 93 and 94, which the Dean of the Faculty of Rome, Orso Mario Corbino, christened ausonium and hesperium, respectively.[42][43][44][45] The experiments leading to the discovery of uranium's ability to fission (break apart) into lighter elements and release binding energy were conducted by Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann[41] in Hahn's laboratory in Berlin. Lise Meitner and her nephew, the physicist Otto Robert Frisch, published the physical explanation in February 1939 and named the process "nuclear fission".[46] Soon after, Fermi hypothesized that the fission of uranium might release enough neutrons to sustain a fission reaction. Confirmation of this hypothesis came in 1939, and later work found that on average about 2.5 neutrons are released by each fission of the rare uranium isotope uranium-235.[41] Fermi urged Alfred O. C. Nier to separate uranium isotopes for determination of the fissile component, and on 29 February 1940, Nier used an instrument he built at the University of Minnesota to separate the world's first uranium-235 sample in the Tate Laboratory. After mailed to Columbia University's cyclotron, John Dunning confirmed the sample to be the isolated fissile material on 1 March.[47] Further work found that the far more common uranium-238 isotope can be transmuted into plutonium, which, like uranium-235, is also fissile by thermal neutrons. These discoveries led numerous countries to begin working on the development of nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Despite fission having been discovered in Germany, the Uranverein ("uranium club") Germany's wartime project to research nuclear power and/or weapons was hampered by limited resources, infighting, the exile or non-involvement of several prominent scientists in the field and several crucial mistakes such as failing to account for impurities in available graphite samples which made it appear less suitable as a neutron moderator than it is in reality. Germany's attempts to build a natural uranium / heavy water reactor had not come close to reaching criticality by the time the Americans reached Haigerloch, the site of the last German wartime reactor experiment.[48]
On 2 December 1942, as part of the Manhattan Project, another team led by Enrico Fermi was able to initiate the first artificial self-sustained nuclear chain reaction, Chicago Pile-1. An initial plan using enriched uranium-235 was abandoned as it was as yet unavailable in sufficient quantities.[49] Working in a lab below the stands of Stagg Field at the University of Chicago, the team created the conditions needed for such a reaction by piling together 360 tonnes of graphite, 53 tonnes of uranium oxide, and 5.5 tonnes of uranium metal, a majority of which was supplied by Westinghouse Lamp Plant in a makeshift production process.[41][50]
Two major types of atomic bombs were developed by the United States during World War II: a uranium-based device (codenamed "Little Boy") whose fissile material was highly enriched uranium, and a plutonium-based device (see Trinity test and "Fat Man") whose plutonium was derived from uranium-238. The uranium-based Little Boy device became the first nuclear weapon used in war when it was detonated over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945. Exploding with a yield equivalent to 12,500 tonnes of trinitrotoluene, the blast and thermal wave of the bomb destroyed nearly 50,000 buildings and killed approximately 75,000 people (see Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki).[37] Initially it was believed that uranium was relatively rare, and that nuclear proliferation could be avoided by simply buying up all known uranium stocks, but within a decade large deposits of it were discovered in many places around the world.[51][52]
The X-10 Graphite Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, formerly known as the Clinton Pile and X-10 Pile, was the world's second artificial nuclear reactor (after Enrico Fermi's Chicago Pile) and was the first reactor designed and built for continuous operation. Argonne National Laboratory's Experimental Breeder Reactor I, located at the Atomic Energy Commission's National Reactor Testing Station near Arco, Idaho, became the first nuclear reactor to create electricity on 20 December 1951.[53] Initially, four 150-watt light bulbs were lit by the reactor, but improvements eventually enabled it to power the whole facility (later, the town of Arco became the first in the world to have all its electricity come from nuclear power generated by BORAX-III, another reactor designed and operated by Argonne National Laboratory).[54][55] The world's first commercial scale nuclear power station, Obninsk in the Soviet Union, began generation with its reactor AM-1 on 27 June 1954. Other early nuclear power plants were Calder Hall in England, which began generation on 17 October 1956,[56] and the Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania, which began on 26 May 1958. Nuclear power was used for the first time for propulsion by a submarine, the USS Nautilus, in 1954.[41][57]
Prehistoric naturally occurring fission Main article: Natural nuclear fission reactor In 1972, the French physicist Francis Perrin discovered fifteen ancient and no longer active natural nuclear fission reactors in three separate ore deposits at the Oklo mine in Gabon, West Africa, collectively known as the Oklo Fossil Reactors. The ore deposit is 1.7 billion years old; then, uranium-235 constituted about 3% of the total uranium on Earth.[58] This is high enough to permit a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction to occur, provided other supporting conditions exist. The capacity of the surrounding sediment to contain the health-threatening nuclear waste products has been cited by the U.S. federal government as supporting evidence for the feasibility to store spent nuclear fuel at the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository.[58]
Above-ground nuclear tests by the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1950s and early 1960s and by France into the 1970s and 1980s[23] spread a significant amount of fallout from uranium daughter isotopes around the world.[59] Additional fallout and pollution occurred from several nuclear accidents.[60]
Uranium miners have a higher incidence of cancer. An excess risk of lung cancer among Navajo uranium miners, for example, has been documented and linked to their occupation.[61] The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, a 1990 law in the US, required $100,000 in "compassion payments" to uranium miners diagnosed with cancer or other respiratory ailments.[62]
During the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, huge stockpiles of uranium were amassed and tens of thousands of nuclear weapons were created using enriched uranium and plutonium made from uranium. After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, an estimated 600 short tons (540 metric tons) of highly enriched weapons grade uranium (enough to make 40,000 nuclear warheads) had been stored in often inadequately guarded facilities in the Russian Federation and several other former Soviet states.[16] Police in Asia, Europe, and South America on at least 16 occasions from 1993 to 2005 have intercepted shipments of smuggled bomb-grade uranium or plutonium, most of which was from ex-Soviet sources.[16] From 1993 to 2005 the Material Protection, Control, and Accounting Program, operated by the federal government of the United States, spent approximately US $550 million to help safeguard uranium and plutonium stockpiles in Russia. This money was used for improvements and security enhancements at research and storage facilities.[16]
Safety of nuclear facilities in Russia has been significantly improved since the stabilization of political and economical turmoil of the early 1990s. For example, in 1993 there were 29 incidents ranking above level 1 on the International Nuclear Event Scale, and this number dropped under four per year in 1995–2003. The number of employers receiving annual radiation doses above 20 mSv, which is equivalent to a single full-body CT scan,[63] saw a strong decline around 2000. In November 2015, the Russian government approved a federal program for nuclear and radiation safety for 2016 to 2030 with a budget of 562 billion rubles (ca. 8 billion dollars). Its key issue is "the deferred liabilities accumulated during the 70 years of the nuclear industry, particularly during the time of the Soviet Union". Approximately 73% of the budget will be spent on decommissioning aged and obsolete nuclear reactors and nuclear facilities, especially those involved in state defense programs; 20% will go in processing and disposal of nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, and 5% into monitoring and ensuring of nuclear and radiation safety.[64]
Along with all elements having atomic weights higher than that of iron, uranium is only naturally formed by the r-process (rapid neutron capture) in supernovae and neutron star mergers.[65] Primordial thorium and uranium are only produced in the r-process, because the s-process (slow neutron capture) is too slow and cannot pass the gap of instability after bismuth.[66][67] Besides the two extant primordial uranium isotopes, 235U and 238U, the r-process also produced significant quantities of 236U, which has a shorter half-life and so is an extinct radionuclide, having long since decayed completely to 232Th. Uranium-236 was itself enriched by the decay of 244Pu, accounting for the observed higher-than-expected abundance of thorium and lower-than-expected abundance of uranium.[68] While the natural abundance of uranium has been supplemented by the decay of extinct 242Pu (half-life 0.375 million years) and 247Cm (half-life 16 million years), producing 238U and 235U respectively, this occurred to an almost negligible extent due to the shorter half-lives of these parents and their lower production than 236U and 244Pu, the parents of thorium: the 247Cm:235U ratio at the formation of the Solar System was (7.0±1.6)×10−5.[69]
Uranium is a naturally occurring element that can be found in low levels within all rock, soil, and water. Uranium is the 51st element in order of abundance in the Earth's crust. Uranium is also the highest-numbered element to be found naturally in significant quantities on Earth and is almost always found combined with other elements.[10] The decay of uranium, thorium, and potassium-40 in the Earth's mantle is thought to be the main source of heat[70][71] that keeps the Earth's outer core in the liquid state and drives mantle convection, which in turn drives plate tectonics.
Uranium's average concentration in the Earth's crust is (depending on the reference) 2 to 4 parts per million,[9][23] or about 40 times as abundant as silver.[15] The Earth's crust from the surface to 25 km (15 mi) down is calculated to contain 1017 kg (2×1017 lb) of uranium while the oceans may contain 1013 kg (2×1013 lb).[9] The concentration of uranium in soil ranges from 0.7 to 11 parts per million (up to 15 parts per million in farmland soil due to use of phosphate fertilizers),[72] and its concentration in sea water is 3 parts per billion.[23]
Uranium is more plentiful than antimony, tin, cadmium, mercury, or silver, and it is about as abundant as arsenic or molybdenum.[10][23] Uranium is found in hundreds of minerals, including uraninite (the most common uranium ore), carnotite, autunite, uranophane, torbernite, and coffinite.[10] Significant concentrations of uranium occur in some substances such as phosphate rock deposits, and minerals such as lignite, and monazite sands in uranium-rich ores[10] (it is recovered commercially from sources with as little as 0.1% uranium[15]).
Some bacteria, such as Shewanella putrefaciens, Geobacter metallireducens and some strains of Burkholderia fungorum, use uranium for their growth and convert U(VI) to U(IV).[73][74] Recent research suggests that this pathway includes reduction of the soluble U(VI) via an intermediate U(V) pentavalent state.[75][76] Other organisms, such as the lichen Trapelia involuta or microorganisms such as the bacterium Citrobacter, can absorb concentrations of uranium that are up to 300 times the level of their environment.[77] Citrobacter species absorb uranyl ions when given glycerol phosphate (or other similar organic phosphates). After one day, one gram of bacteria can encrust themselves with nine grams of uranyl phosphate crystals; this creates the possibility that these organisms could be used in bioremediation to decontaminate uranium-polluted water.[31][78] The proteobacterium Geobacter has also been shown to bioremediate uranium in ground water.[79] The mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices increases uranium content in the roots of its symbiotic plant.[80]
In nature, uranium(VI) forms highly soluble carbonate complexes at alkaline pH. This leads to an increase in mobility and availability of uranium to groundwater and soil from nuclear wastes which leads to health hazards. However, it is difficult to precipitate uranium as phosphate in the presence of excess carbonate at alkaline pH. A Sphingomonas sp. strain BSAR-1 has been found to express a high activity alkaline phosphatase (PhoK) that has been applied for bioprecipitation of uranium as uranyl phosphate species from alkaline solutions. The precipitation ability was enhanced by overexpressing PhoK protein in E. coli.[81]
Plants absorb some uranium from soil. Dry weight concentrations of uranium in plants range from 5 to 60 parts per billion, and ash from burnt wood can have concentrations up to 4 parts per million.[31] Dry weight concentrations of uranium in food plants are typically lower with one to two micrograms per day ingested through the food people eat.[31]
Production and mining Main article: Uranium mining Worldwide production of uranium in 2021 amounted to 48,332 tonnes, of which 21,819 t (45%) was mined in Kazakhstan. Other important urmom mining countries are Namibia (5,753 t), Canada (4,693 t), Australia (4,192 t), Uzbekistan (3,500 t), and Russia (2,635 t).[82]
Uranium ore is mined in several ways: by open pit, underground, in-situ leaching, and borehole mining (see uranium mining).[7] Low-grade uranium ore mined typically contains 0.01 to 0.25% uranium oxides. Extensive measures must be employed to extract the metal from its ore.[83] High-grade ores found in Athabasca Basin deposits in Saskatchewan, Canada can contain up to 23% uranium oxides on average.[84] Uranium ore is crushed and rendered into a fine powder and then leached with either an acid or alkali. The leachate is subjected to one of several sequences of precipitation, solvent extraction, and ion exchange. The resulting mixture, called yellowcake, contains at least 75% uranium oxides U3O8. Yellowcake is then calcined to remove impurities from the milling process before refining and conversion.[85]
Commercial-grade uranium can be produced through the reduction of uranium halides with alkali or alkaline earth metals.[10] Uranium metal can also be prepared through electrolysis of KUF 5 or UF 4, dissolved in molten calcium chloride (CaCl 2) and sodium chloride (NaCl) solution.[10] Very pure uranium is produced through the thermal decomposition of uranium halides on a hot filament.[10]
It is estimated that 6.1 million tonnes of uranium exists in ore reserves that are economically viable at US$130 per kg of uranium,[87] while 35 million tonnes are classed as mineral resources (reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction).[88]
Australia has 28% of the world's known uranium ore reserves[87] and the world's largest single uranium deposit is located at the Olympic Dam Mine in South Australia.[89] There is a significant reserve of uranium in Bakouma, a sub-prefecture in the prefecture of Mbomou in the Central African Republic.[90]
Some uranium also originates from dismantled nuclear weapons.[91] For example, in 1993–2013 Russia supplied the United States with 15,000 tonnes of low-enriched uranium within the Megatons to Megawatts Program.[92]
An additional 4.6 billion tonnes of uranium are estimated to be dissolved in sea water (Japanese scientists in the 1980s showed that extraction of uranium from sea water using ion exchangers was technically feasible).[93][94] There have been experiments to extract uranium from sea water,[95] but the yield has been low due to the carbonate present in the water. In 2012, ORNL researchers announced the successful development of a new absorbent material dubbed HiCap which performs surface retention of solid or gas molecules, atoms or ions and also effectively removes toxic metals from water, according to results verified by researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.[96][97]
In 2005, ten countries accounted for the majority of the world's concentrated uranium oxides: Canada (27.9%), Australia (22.8%), Kazakhstan (10.5%), Russia (8.0%), Namibia (7.5%), Niger (7.4%), Uzbekistan (5.5%), the United States (2.5%), Argentina (2.1%) and Ukraine (1.9%).[99] In 2008 Kazakhstan was forecast to increase production and become the world's largest supplier of uranium by 2009.[100][101] The prediction came true, and Kazakhstan does dominate the world's uranium market since 2010. In 2021, its share was 45.1%, followed by Namibia (11.9%), Canada (9.7%), Australia (8.7%), Uzbekistan (7.2%), Niger (4.7%), Russia (5.5%), China (3.9%), India (1.3%), Ukraine (0.9%), and South Africa (0.8%), with a world total production of 48,332 tonnes.[82] Most of uranium was produced not by conventional underground mining of ores (29% of production), but by in situ leaching (66%).[82][102]
In the late 1960s, UN geologists also discovered major uranium deposits and other rare mineral reserves in Somalia. The find was the largest of its kind, with industry experts estimating the deposits at over 25% of the world's then known uranium reserves of 800,000 tons.[103]
The ultimate available supply is believed to be sufficient for at least the next 85 years,[88] although some studies indicate underinvestment in the late twentieth century may produce supply problems in the 21st century.[104] Uranium deposits seem to be log-normal distributed. There is a 300-fold increase in the amount of uranium recoverable for each tenfold decrease in ore grade.[105] In other words, there is little high grade ore and proportionately much more low grade ore available.
Calcined uranium yellowcake, as produced in many large mills, contains a distribution of uranium oxidation species in various forms ranging from most oxidized to least oxidized. Particles with short residence times in a calciner will generally be less oxidized than those with long retention times or particles recovered in the stack scrubber. Uranium content is usually referenced to U 3O 8, which dates to the days of the Manhattan Project when U 3O 8 was used as an analytical chemistry reporting standard.[106]
Phase relationships in the uranium-oxygen system are complex. The most important oxidation states of uranium are uranium(IV) and uranium(VI), and their two corresponding oxides are, respectively, uranium dioxide (UO 2) and uranium trioxide (UO 3).[107] Other uranium oxides such as uranium monoxide (UO), diuranium pentoxide (U 2O 5), and uranium peroxide (UO 4·2H 2O) also exist.
The most common forms of uranium oxide are triuranium octoxide (U 3O 8) and UO 2.[108] Both oxide forms are solids that have low solubility in water and are relatively stable over a wide range of environmental conditions. Triuranium octoxide is (depending on conditions) the most stable compound of uranium and is the form most commonly found in nature. Uranium dioxide is the form in which uranium is most commonly used as a nuclear reactor fuel.[108] At ambient temperatures, UO 2 will gradually convert to U 3O 8. Because of their stability, uranium oxides are generally considered the preferred chemical form for storage or disposal.[108]
Salts of many oxidation states of uranium are water-soluble and may be studied in aqueous solutions. The most common ionic forms are U3+ (brown-red), U4+ (green), UO+ 2 (unstable), and UO2+ 2 (yellow), for U(III), U(IV), U(V), and U(VI), respectively.[109] A few solid and semi-metallic compounds such as UO and US exist for the formal oxidation state uranium(II), but no simple ions are known to exist in solution for that state. Ions of U3+ liberate hydrogen from water and are therefore considered to be highly unstable. The UO2+ 2 ion represents the uranium(VI) state and is known to form compounds such as uranyl carbonate, uranyl chloride and uranyl sulfate. UO2+ 2 also forms complexes with various organic chelating agents, the most commonly encountered of which is uranyl acetate.[109]
Unlike the uranyl salts of uranium and polyatomic ion uranium-oxide cationic forms, the uranates, salts containing a polyatomic uranium-oxide anion, are generally not water-soluble.
Carbonates The interactions of carbonate anions with uranium(VI) cause the Pourbaix diagram to change greatly when the medium is changed from water to a carbonate containing solution. While the vast majority of carbonates are insoluble in water (students are often taught that all carbonates other than those of alkali metals are insoluble in water), uranium carbonates are often soluble in water. This is because a U(VI) cation is able to bind two terminal oxides and three or more carbonates to form anionic complexes.
Effects of pH The uranium fraction diagrams in the presence of carbonate illustrate this further: when the pH of a uranium(VI) solution increases, the uranium is converted to a hydrated uranium oxide hydroxide and at high pHs it becomes an anionic hydroxide complex.
When carbonate is added, uranium is converted to a series of carbonate complexes if the pH is increased. One effect of these reactions is increased solubility of uranium in the pH range 6 to 8, a fact that has a direct bearing on the long term stability of spent uranium dioxide nuclear fuels.
Hydrides, carbides and nitrides Uranium metal heated to 250 to 300 °C (482 to 572 °F) reacts with hydrogen to form uranium hydride. Even higher temperatures will reversibly remove the hydrogen. This property makes uranium hydrides convenient starting materials to create reactive uranium powder along with various uranium carbide, nitride, and halide compounds.[111] Two crystal modifications of uranium hydride exist: an α form that is obtained at low temperatures and a β form that is created when the formation temperature is above 250 °C.[111]
Uranium carbides and uranium nitrides are both relatively inert semimetallic compounds that are minimally soluble in acids, react with water, and can ignite in air to form U 3O 8.[111] Carbides of uranium include uranium monocarbide (UC), uranium dicarbide (UC 2), and diuranium tricarbide (U 2C 3). Both UC and UC 2 are formed by adding carbon to molten uranium or by exposing the metal to carbon monoxide at high temperatures. Stable below 1800 °C, U 2C 3 is prepared by subjecting a heated mixture of UC and UC 2 to mechanical stress.[112] Uranium nitrides obtained by direct exposure of the metal to nitrogen include uranium mononitride (UN), uranium dinitride (UN 2), and diuranium trinitride (U 2N 3).[112]

Sup!
Im looking to buy a used Marin Hawk Hill fully and would like to hear some advice on the bike and deal.
It’s priced at 900€ asking price and apparently in good condition with a big service done recently.
This is my first fully so I’m not too knowledgeable, I mainly want to hit local trails with it as I have my gravel bike for everything else.
It’s a size M with me being 1,80m in height.
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/USRmy5K/
Happy for any thoughts, thanks in advance!

My GF’s father is a contractor with decades of experiences and loads of connections and friendships. One of those is also a boss from a local bike shop. They are friends and they often exchange favors. My GF and I were able to save almost $2k on our cycling gear. That’s about a 30% discount on name brands, so it’s a real deal.
My sister is turning 20 and is still in college. She wants to start cycling, but is on a budget. I decided to help her with all my knowledge and I also decided to try to get her a discount at the store. I asked my GF’s father if he was willing to help with that and he said that he was happy to do it under one condition. That condition is that when he asks his friend for a discount, my sister has to buy the bike. Just so he’s not wasting his friends time. That’s fair enough.
I explained the situation to my sister and father. They were on board, so I recommended a model and the only thing they had to do was go try it out to figure out whether the size that was in stock was right for her.
That’s where the FU on my father’s side starts. They arrived at the store, she got to ride it around the block and she really liked it. Then my father started asking about the price. “Is this the last price?”, “what if we buy some gear with it?” And so on. He told me he wasn’t haggling or trying to make a deal, but this sounds like he was trying to do just that. The store owner was in the store at the time.
I decided that this was disrespectful to me, my GF’s father and to the store owner. To me because did he really think that he could get a better deal than me or he didn’t trust me to actually get the deal. To the store owner because the end message would be: “you said that you couldn’t offer a lower price, so we brought in the bigger guns, you fool”. To my GF’s father because this would compromise his and store owner’s trust.
What he should have done is leave the discussion about discounts to me. Because I said that I will arrange a great deal. It wasn’t a specific amount, but based on all the evidence it would be a lot more than what a complete stranger could do in the store.
So AITA for refusing to get the discount?
Just for the record: I feel really bad for my sister. I really wanted her to have a nice bike and she didn’t do anything wrong. I almost want to give her the money just so she can get the bike.
Edit: I wasn’t there when it happened.

What’s up everyone. Price includes priority insured shipping and it will go out the business day after it’s sold.
This is less than a year old and I literally did not use it one time. Thought I was going all in on the straight game, but never got around to it. Lowest I can find this currently is $70, sales rep at the mall got me for 90. All yours for $50.
Photos
~Dovo Silver Satin Finish Shavette with all blade adapters
~Baxter SS Badger Brush
~ Fold of blades
~Hard case that came with an electric toothbrush I’ve used to store the razor and blade adaptors. The pouch it came with was garbage, but the product is really well made haha.
~Two surprise samples of Barrister and Mann soaps.

Tp preface: If you're looking for a roommate for next year as well but have your own location in mind for a place to stay, do tell me, although I would like for it to remain close to campus by walking distance and for it to be under 800 ish a month including utilities.
Hi, my name's Keith and I'm looking for a roommate for next year. My current roommate is leaving so I'm looking for a new one to renew my lease with at our apartment. The building is Grace and Monroe on Grace Street, really close to Monroe Park and the general campus buildings, 10-15 minute walk. The rent will be around 700-750 a month with utilities included in that price. Here's a few more bits of info about the place:
- 2 bedroom and 2 bathrooms (Unfurnished, however there could be some furniture left behind)
- 1 living room space
- Kitchen
- In unit laundry and mailroom
- Pets allowed
- Rent is due at the beginning of every month
- My apartment is on the third floor
​
A little bit about me: I'm an academic Junior (19 M), CS Major. I don't have any pets here nor do I smoke or drink or anything though I don't mind if you do. I play electric guitar and go to the gym a good amount of times a week so if you're into music and or working out that'd be pretty sweet, but not required lol. I don't bring people over nor can I blast my music loud much so if volume is something you're sensitive to you don't gotta worry about that with me either. Here's my instagram because I know some people would want to see who they could potentially be living with for a year before they inquire about it: https://www.instagram.com/kiyst/ . Looking forward to answering any questions!
Also, I have not signed up for a new contract for next year yet, however my current one ends in July so if you're on board with rooming up with me then just lmk and we can arrange a date where we can sign the lease.

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Sportfishing Boats Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Sportfishing Boats sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Sportfishing Boats sales for 2023 through 2029. With Sportfishing Boats sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Sportfishing Boats industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Sportfishing Boats landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Sportfishing Boats portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Sportfishing Boats market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Sportfishing Boats and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Sportfishing Boats.
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Sportfishing Boats market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
The global Sportfishing Boatsmarket size is projected to grow from US$ 94 million in 2022 to US$ 162.1 million in 2029; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 162.1 from 2023 to 2029.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/620182/sportfishing-boats-2029
The main participants
Bertram Yachts
Bluewater Sportfishing Boats
Boston Whaler
Contender Boats
Crevalle Boats
Everglades Boats
Grady-White Boats
Hydrasports Custom Boats, LLC
Invincible Boats
Lund Boat Company
Mikelson Yachts
Regulator Marine
Scout Boats
Stanley Aluminum Boats
Striper Boats
Thresher Boats
Tiara Yachts
Viking Yachts
Hatteras Yachts
Merritt Boat Works
Spencer Yachts
Rybovich Boat Company
Jarrett Bay Boatworks
Gamefisherman Yachts
Weaver Boatworks
Segmentation by type
Electric Boat
Fuel Boat
Others
Segmentation by application
Personal
Commercial
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Sportfishing Boats market?
What factors are driving Sportfishing Boats market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Sportfishing Boats market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Sportfishing Boats break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
LP INFORMATION (LPI) is a professional market report publisher based in America, providing high quality market research reports with competitive prices to help decision makers make informed decisions and take strategic actions to achieve excellent outcomes.We have an extensive library of reports on hundreds of technologies.Search for a specific term, or click on an industry to browse our reports by subject. Narrow down your results using our filters or sort by what’s important to you, such as publication date, price, or name.
LP INFORMATION
E-mail: [email protected]
Add: 17890 Castleton St. Suite 369 City of Industry, CA 91748 US
Website: https://www.lpinformationdata.com

I am planning to buy xtreme 160R , need some inputs on this bike. How is it in long term use , maintenance cost and other stuff. Also if there are any other best alternative at same price range please mention that as well

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Vertical Sand Mill Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Vertical Sand Mill sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Vertical Sand Mill sales for 2023 through 2029. With Vertical Sand Mill sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Vertical Sand Mill industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Vertical Sand Mill landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Vertical Sand Mill portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Vertical Sand Mill market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Vertical Sand Mill and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Vertical Sand Mill.
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Vertical Sand Mill market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
The global Vertical Sand Millmarket size is projected to grow from US$ 94 million in 2022 to US$ 162.1 million in 2029; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 162.1 from 2023 to 2029.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/620181/vertical-sand-mill-2029
The main participants
INOUE MFG., INC.
NETZSCH Group
S.F.Engineering Works
SUNIN MACHINE
Sower Company
ELE company
Nachi-Fujikoshi Corp.
UNITED GRINDING Group
Hardinge Inc.
EMAG GmbH & Co. KG
Dongguan Longly Machinery Co., Ltd
Dongguan Naonch Machinery Co., ltd.
LEIMIX Group(Guangdong)Co.,LTD
Chongqing DEGOLD Machine Co., Ltd.
Shanghai Root Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Co.,Ltd.
Biuged Laboratory Instruments (GuangZhou) Co., Ltd
MIYOU Group
LiTengda Machinery & Equipment Co., Ltd.
Segmentation by type
Wet
Dry
Segmentation by application
Lithium Battery Industry
Paint Industry
Chemical Industry
Pharmaceutical Industry
Others
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Vertical Sand Mill market?
What factors are driving Vertical Sand Mill market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Vertical Sand Mill market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Vertical Sand Mill break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
LP INFORMATION (LPI) is a professional market report publisher based in America, providing high quality market research reports with competitive prices to help decision makers make informed decisions and take strategic actions to achieve excellent outcomes.We have an extensive library of reports on hundreds of technologies.Search for a specific term, or click on an industry to browse our reports by subject. Narrow down your results using our filters or sort by what’s important to you, such as publication date, price, or name.
LP INFORMATION
E-mail: [email protected]
Add: 17890 Castleton St. Suite 369 City of Industry, CA 91748 US
Website: https://www.lpinformationdata.com

The vehicles in the GTA franchise have always been a highlight for players, and it's safe to assume that GTA 6 will feature a wide variety of vehicles for players to drive.
While there has been no official confirmation about what vehicles will be available in GTA 6, there have been some rumors and speculations about what we could potentially see.
One popular theory is that the game could feature more electric and hybrid vehicles, reflecting the current trend towards environmentally friendly transportation. This could include electric cars, bikes, and even scooters.
Another theory is that the game could feature more customizable vehicles, allowing players to truly make their vehicles their own. This could include the ability to add custom paint jobs, body modifications, and even performance upgrades.
There have also been rumors that the game could feature vehicles from previous GTA games, such as the Dodo plane from GTA 3 or the Deluxo from GTA Vice City. While this is a possibility, it's important to keep in mind that these are just rumors and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Ultimately, the vehicles in GTA 6 are anyone's guess at this point. However, it's safe to assume that Rockstar Games will continue to create unique and exciting vehicles for players to drive.
GTA 5 Modder 👑 Buy gta 5 accounts http://Furymodz.com // Fortnite // GTA 5 Accounts, Mods 💎 Creator on Patreon: http://patreon.com/furymodz 🎪

Looking to install a heat pump in our 2 story + finished basement 2400sqft (800sqft/floor) row home in the DC area. Our current system is an air handler in the basement with 100,000 btu/h, 80% efficiency furnace and 36,000 btu/h AC unit outside. There is a main trunk feeding the basement + 1st floor, and a second trunk going to the attic that supplies the 2nd floor (which has 3 bedrooms / 2 baths), with a manual damper that closes off the basement / 1st floor trunk to push more air to the top floor.
Our system has a few issues we'd like to fix when we replace it:

• One zone makes it challenging to control the house evenly, and we need to heat/cool the entire house when we're using just one floor (particularly at night, all the bedrooms are on the top floor)
• High humidity in summer - the system often doesn't run for long enough to pull out humidity
• Very dry in winter, so we'd like to add a humidifier
• Uneven heating/cooling of top floor bedrooms, made worse by differences in amount of exterior walls due to layout of the rowhome

We have a few (very different) quotes, and would appreciate opinions on these:
Contractor 1 - $19k:

• 3 ton Carrier 18SEER 25VNA837A003 heat pump + 3.5t FE4ANF003L00 Infinity 2 air handler
• 15 kW aux heat
• Automatic dampers on each trunk (2 zones)
• Humidifier not included

Contractor 2 - $23k:

• 3 ton Daikin 18SEER DZ17VSA361BA heat pump + DV36FECC14 air handler
• 10kW aux heat
• Humidifier not included
• Automatic dampers on each trunk (2 zones)

Contractor 3 (Mitsubishi Diamond Elite) - $23k:

• 3 ton Mitsubishi MXZ-SM36NAM heat pump
• No aux heat
• 18,000 btu/h SVZ-KP18NA air handler feeding basement + 1st floor (cap trunk to attic)
• 6,000 btu/h ceiling mounted MLZ-KY06NA in master bedroom
• 2x 6,000 btu/h wall mounted MSZ-GL06NA in other bedroom
• Humidifier + kumo air control

Contractor 4 - $14k:

• Mitsubishi P-series outdoor unit + air handler in attic feeding upper floor only
• Disconnect / cap trunk between from attic and basement air handler
• Main unit replacement not quoted
• Does not include electrical work to get power into attic

​
I'm slightly leaning towards Option #3 because it would be nice to be able to individually control the upper bedrooms, good reviews of the Mitsubishi systems, and inclusion of a humidifier, but have a few concerns / questions:

• Are these prices overall reasonable?
• The min capacity of the 3 ton mitsubishi outdoor unit is ~15,000 btu/h, which is more than the max of the individual minisplit units. I'm a bit unclear on how this works if we want to run just 2 of the bedroom units at night, particularly if we want to run them at low output to keep humidity down - can they actually turn down, or would they effectively function as on/off units
• I've seen concerns with multi-split systems and with ceiling cassettes, but have also heard that these can be fine if installed correctly. I'm not sure how to weigh this.
• I'm slightly nervous about not having the hyper heat model or aux heat, but they think this is enough heating for our house based on experience with similar homes. Our current system is very oversized - it runs infrequently even on the coldest days, so this isn't entirely surprising to me. Does this seem crazy?

Thank you!

I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him for photos or anything.He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Milky Ways in his hands without paying.The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.

Now that I have your attention I’m looking for a fun-handling car for daily driving that is kind of unique and cool. i hope to turn my boring commute into something I enjoy and is less than 50k$
Things I need are for the car to be reliable like 120k+ miles without any problems over 7ish years. Comfortable, not luxurious, Just comfortable. I just need good ride quality so I don’t have to worry about hitting every bump and hole. But leather and how it’s stitched don’t matter to me. Also, apple car play is a must.
Now for my wants of course I want it to be fast. 300hp+ or sub 5s 0-60 fast would be satisfactory but faster is better. RWD or AWD is preferred. Also, good tech is a big plus. my preference would be a sedan but if the performance is great enough I don’t mind a coupe or hatch.
I’m happy with buying a used and going below budget to afford mods(performance or luxury) but a new car or at least one with a warranty will always be better. if the car is fast enough and in warranty I don't want any power mods to not affect the warranty. I'm also looking at buying the car in texas.
Now for personal stuff. I’m an 18-year-old with daddy’s money staying at home in texas for college but planning to transfer out of the city. This car will be commuting me downtown for college almost every day for an hour+ drive. I’ll take this car with friends, gym, work, etc. As I said 4 seats aren’t needed but it’s good to have them occasionally. If I do get something sporty my siblings/parents will also drive it once in a while. my current car is a 2009 es350 that served me well but I want something that makes commuting feel like less of a task and more fun.
what is fun?: a quick 0-60 and winning street drag races aren't what I need. something with short gear that constantly requires my attention and makes me smile then speeds up when the road gets curvy. but also cant be unbearable going 40mph in downtown traffic for 30 min straight.
Now what is on my list
model 3 Performance: top of my list cause its fun in the sense of the acceleration but the regular joys of a gar car are gone. they fit almost all of my requirements and for the long drives to college one with autopilot would be nice. one thing I'm not sure of is reliability because I have heard some horror stories and my dad is anti-electric. if I do buy it will be used with sub 10k miles like https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/vdp.action?listingId=342178349#listing=342178349
2022+ g70 3.3T sports prestige: for a gas car this is my top choice because I get a lot of the things I am asking for. It's a unique car but also kinda unknown. I have also heard great things about its handling and the warranty is really good. tho KDM cars have had a bad rep in the past for reliability so idk what to think of it on that front. it is also cheaper than competitors like M340i, C43, S5, etc... but also the slowest of them all I'm not planning on racing anyone so idk.https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=77407&distance=200&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d2701#listing=343086098/NONE
2019+ m240i: the cheapest car I got and maybe one of the slowest. over time I will 100% add power mods to the car. I chose 2 series over 3 because I feel the handling difference is large enough that it is worth the sacrifice. also with the saved money, I get a good budget for mods. tho because it's a BMW I'm inclined not to mod it and instead save it for maintenance. do yall really think I can put 150K miles on the car without it exploding?https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=77407&distance=200&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d2262#listing=352634841/NONE
2022+ m240i: this is over budget but 2022 used ones with relatively high miles dip below 50k sometimes. this is perfect in every aspect of luxury and performance(no shit it's a BMW) but I also have some major concerns about the cost of maintenance and longevity of the car. also compared to the g70 im getting more of everything but is the price jump and reliability drop worth ithttps://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=77407&maxPrice=50000&distance=200&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d2262#listing=353357237/NONE
Audi s4/s5: more like the Bmw but cheaper and I think more reliable. luxury factor in the ride is also a big plus. feels like a tamer m340i and tame isn't really what I want https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=77407&maxPrice=50000&maxMileage=39000&wheelSystems=ALL_WHEEL_DRIVE&installedOptionIds=142&showNegotiable=true&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C280&engineParameters=V6%2C3.2%2C270&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C272&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C240&engineParameters=V6%2C3.2%2C250&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C340&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C220&engineParameters=V6%2C3.6%2C280&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C310&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C354&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C300&engineParameters=V6%2C3.2%2C265&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C443&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C333&engineParameters=V6%2C2.7%2C250&engineParameters=V6%2C3.2%2C255&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C335&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C225&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C349&engineParameters=V6%2C3.0%2C329&engineParameters=V6%2C2.9%2C444&sortDir=ASC&sourceContext=untrackedWithinSite_false_0&bodyTypeGroupIds=0&distance=200&sortType=DEAL_RATING_RPL&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d30#listing=344594510/NONE
(idk why this link is so long)
A6: very tame and very luxurious. also on the cheaper side compared to S5. but it still has ok performance is it enough performance? why not have more https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?zip=77407&distance=200&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=m19#listing=349927555/NONE
Lexis overall: it is a good car (IS, RC, GS) but their performance cars aren't performancey enough, the interior feels outdated in IS, and newer cars are too expensive. if I do get a Lexus it would be a 2011 Is-f then spend like 10k modding it.
I also have this deep desire to buy an old jdm car for a chap that will probably only last me like 3-5 years like an Mr2, s2000, 3000gt ect cause they look cool. and if they some how to survive my 100k mile journey they get turned into a nitrous power missile till it blows up.
most of this was just me rambling to clear my thoughts so mind my grammar and horrible formatting. if u got any more questions of course ask and please hit that subscribe button and like this, if you also hate spec sheet nerds.

I currently have a lease for one bedroom out of a 4 bedroom apartment with 3 other female roommates at Octave for the 2023-2024 school year. I am looking for someone who would be interested in subletting, as Octave is too far for me for my classes next year. If anyone would like to do so, please PM me.
The rent is 990/month including all utilities except electricity (which would be split between all 4 roommates). The sublet fee is 80% of first month's rent, which I can definitely split.
Otherwise, is anyone interested in switching leases? I would not mind paying the price difference for rent if that is an issue. (I just want to live closer to Green Street.)
:)

So my fiancée and I have been living in our complex for 7 years. It’s a locally owned, 6 building plot. There’s probably 60-75 units. It’s locally owned, run and managed extremely well, with personable and attentive staff.
Well, last October, they sold. To a national company. And it’s done a complete 180. Every stereotype about corporate ownership applies. All of the previous staff were employees of the previous owners and are now gone. We no longer have any on-site staff in the office. No longer have dedicated maintenance people.
The first change they made was to replace the laundry room machines. The old ones were new enough. But the new ones have card capability. The problem is there used to be 2 washers/2 dryers. Now there’s one of each, and the price has almost doubled. Meaning we can barely ever get laundry done due to halving of the number of machines.
They almost completely stopped plowing snow in the parking lot and clearing sidewalks. They come around maybe once a week now if we’re lucky.
They’re re-modeling all of the apartments to be more upscale and raising rent. Something our area (lower-middle class Upstate New York) is not asking for, nor can afford.
The kicker though, is our new contact for issues etc speaks very broken English and takes care of nothing. We pay rent by check, which is only picked up on the 1st of the month now at the now defunct office.
Our rent check for last month magically was not received. (Never had a single issue in previous 7 years.) Which they neglected to inform us of until the 21st of the month. We have acquaintances in other buildings who have had the same thing happen (apartment rep. claims check was never received and another one is needed). At which point they wrote another check, only to have both cashed the very next day. Hearing of this happening, luckily we took a video of us dropping the check in the box. We sent the video to the rep showing us dropping the check in the drop box. We got a gibberish and nonsensical response. I’m worried this is their way to claim we never paid rent and kick us out (they only do month-to-month leases now) so they can remodel our unit and raise it’s rent.
We were able to catch a manager of sorts while he was on property hanging flyers about mandatory apartment inspections (that’s a whole other issue.) We informed him of the headaches we’ve been having and the potential issue with the rent checks and the employee in question. His response was “there’s a lot of older tenants who like to gossip.” Our friends who had the same thing happen are in their late 20s. He completely dismissed the issue.
Given the housing market we’ve been unsuccessful in finding a house but have been content here until now. Now everything seems so unsettling and sketchy. It’s extremely frustrating to be dealing with this at the place we call home.
Anyone else dealt with this?

LPI (LP Information)' newest research report, the “Non Slam Check Valves Industry Forecast” looks at past sales and reviews total world Non Slam Check Valves sales in 2022, providing a comprehensive analysis by region and market sector of projected Non Slam Check Valves sales for 2023 through 2029. With Non Slam Check Valves sales broken down by region, market sector and sub-sector, this report provides a detailed analysis in US$ millions of the world Non Slam Check Valves industry.
This Insight Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Non Slam Check Valves landscape and highlights key trends related to product segmentation, company formation, revenue, and market share, latest development, and M&A activity. This report also analyzes the strategies of leading global companies with a focus on Non Slam Check Valves portfolios and capabilities, market entry strategies, market positions, and geographic footprints, to better understand these firms' unique position in an accelerating global Non Slam Check Valves market.
This Insight Report evaluates the key market trends, drivers, and affecting factors shaping the global outlook for Non Slam Check Valves and breaks down the forecast by type, by application, geography, and market size to highlight emerging pockets of opportunity. With a transparent methodology based on hundreds of bottom-up qualitative and quantitative market inputs, this study forecast offers a highly nuanced view of the current state and future trajectory in the global Non Slam Check Valves.
This report presents a comprehensive overview, market shares, and growth opportunities of Non Slam Check Valves market by product type, application, key manufacturers and key regions and countries.
The global Non Slam Check Valvesmarket size is projected to grow from US$ 94 million in 2022 to US$ 162.1 million in 2029; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 162.1 from 2023 to 2029.
https://www.lpinformationdata.com/reports/620174/non-slam-check-valves-2029
The main participants
NTGD valve
Europa Valve
DFT
FCA
Oceaneering International
Hydrocore Limited
Vogt Valves
N2X Process Solutions
Velan
DUEKER
Cla-Val
Stream-Flo Industries
Kavaata Valves
Hawa Engineers
A.R. Thomson Group
Vatac
Segmentation by type
Manual
Pneumatic
Electric
Segmentation by application
Industrial
Oil and Natural Gas
Chemical Industry
Other
Key Questions Addressed in this Report
What is the 10-year outlook for the global Non Slam Check Valves market?
What factors are driving Non Slam Check Valves market growth, globally and by region?
Which technologies are poised for the fastest growth by market and region?
How do Non Slam Check Valves market opportunities vary by end market size?
How does Non Slam Check Valves break out type, application?
What are the influences of COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine war?
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