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CW: What this channel is about, what it means that it's on Hubzilla and not on Mastodon, how I (don't actually) follow you back when you follow me; long (~14,000 characters in one post); CW: tech, FLOSS, a11y meta, alt-text meta, sensitivity meta, content warning meta, CW meta, mentions of memes/religion/science/history/philosophy/eye contact/public display of affection/family/food/alcohol/cats/health/medicine/work
I've figured that I need a proper #introduction post for those who come from outside, and that's nearly everyone.
First of all: This is not someone's single, general, all-purpose, personal channel. This channel was created to specialise in the topics of #VirtualWorlds in general and, more specifically, those based on #OpenSimulator. And you can consider me not much more than an #OpenSim #avatar.
OpenSimulator (see also here) is a free, open-source and decentralised re-implementation of #SecondLife, created around Second Life's own viewer API after Linden Labs made the official Second Life viewer open-source. It was launched in January, 2007, and most OpenSim-based world, usually called grids, have been federated with one another since the introduction of the #Hypergrid in 2008. One could say that it is to Second Life what Mastodon is to Twitter, and what #Lemmy is to Reddit, only that the UI can be almost identical, and the UX is even more similar.
I've been in OpenSim since April 30th, 2020. By the way, I'm not in Second Life, and I've never been there.
I also have a blog about OpenSim in German language that's somewhat dormant currently, but I still have a lot to write and post about.
I occasionally post about the #Fediverse with which I mean the Fediverse beyond #Mastodon. That's when I have to say something that nobody else says.
Some of my posts contain memes. Sometimes it's easier to express something in one image macro than in 5,000 words.
I don't post about real life. I may occasionally comment posts about real life, but I don't post about it.
Where I am: Those of you who come across my channel in their Web browsers in search of my profile (which is here, by the way), will most likely see it right away. But those who see this post in their Mastodon timelines won't, so it's only fair to mention it here:
I'm not on Mastodon. Yes, I'm someplace that's connected to Mastodon, but I'm not on Mastodon proper. So some of you might learn it from this post: #MastodonIsNotTheFediverse which means that the Fediverse is not on Mastodon.
Instead, I'm using a project named #Hubzilla (see also the official website). It has tons of features that Mastodon doesn't have, including some that are highly requested on Mastodon such as full-text search, quotes, text formatting like you wouldn't believe, #SingleSignOn and #NomadicIdentity. It practically doesn't have any character limits at all. Also, it's older than Mastodon. It had its 1.0 release in December, 2015, more than half a year before Mastodon, and it was renamed from a project named #RedMatrix that was launched as early as 2012, about four years before Mastodon.
What it means that I'm on Hubzilla: Next to my hashtags and mentions looking weird in comparison to what you're used to on Mastodon, the biggest "side-effect" of this is that my posts can grow truly massive for Mastodon standards. I don't do threads when I have to write a lot. I don't have to. Long posts are fortunately still something that Mastodon displays correctly even if you can't write them on most Mastodon instances. And I could write posts with tens of thousands of characters. So I won't do that.
This post is longer than 28 Mastodon toots, and as you can see, I didn't break it down into a thread of well over 30 single posts.
That is, if I really have to write something that's akin to a blog post with lots of embedded pictures, while I can do that as a regular post, I'll do it as a long-form article and then link to it. I know that some of you mobile app users don't like your Web browser popping open, but trust me when I say it's the best solution, also due to what Mastodon does with embedded images which it can't display as such. Besides, I don't force you to tap that link to my newest article.
How I handle images: Which takes us to images. It's here where I do acknowledge some of Mastodon's limitations, seeing as roughly 99% of the recipients of my posts are on Mastodon, what with how many newbies indiscriminately follow everything they come across to get their personal timeline busy, and others following me with the belief that I'm a Fediverse guru first and foremost.
I no longer post more than four pictures at once. That's because Mastodon can't handle more than four pictures in one post.
I still embed the pictures someplace in my posts that is not at the bottom. The bottom is for hashtags which I haven't already used in the text. Yes, I make a lot of use of hashtags for everyone's convenience, and I always write them in CamelCase when appropriate and/or necessary. As for the embedded pictures, sometimes I explain in my posts where which picture that you'll find at the bottom of the post in reverse order should be where in the text, but I don't always do that.
How I handle alt-text and image descriptions: I always add #AltText to images, even though Hubzilla doesn't offer a dedicated UI element for that. I always give #ImageDescriptions. However, I don't necessarily put the #ImageDescription into the alt-text. I want my image descriptions to be detailed and informative so that everyone knows and understands what's in the picture.
However, my in-world pictures in particular might be very detailed, and since they were taken in places that next to nobody in the Fediverse knows, they might be full of stuff that needs to be mentioned, described and explained. Mobile users in particular like detailed image descriptions if the images themselves take too long or entirely refuse to load due to poor network performance. Also, good image description style demands all text anywhere in a picture be fully transcribed and, if it isn't in English, translated. I transcribe and translate text that even I can't see in a picture, much less read; I guess, a full transcription is even more justified in this case. An in-world sign that's a 5x3-pixel speck in the picture? An scripted button, in-world again, that's a 4x2-pixel speck? I transcribe and translate them. How else are you supposed to know what's written on them?
So the descriptions for these images may grow too long for alt-text, not only longer than Mastodon's 1,500-character limit, but longer than what any Fediverse front-end could possibly display, and way too long to be convenient for #ScreenReader users. My current record for an image description is 13,215 characters.
Also, I've been told that alt-text isn't really that accessible, for many sighted Fediverse users simply can't access it at all, especially mobile users who don't have a mouse cursor to hover on an image. So any image description in alt-text is lost to them.
The most accessible method of posting image descriptions is right within the post itself in plain sight for everyone. I consider it bad style-wise unless a post is explicitly about the picture that's being described which rarely is the case here. But since many demand this, I'll do it from now on until enough people complain about it and say that they'd prefer me to put my image descriptions elsewhere and link to them. The alt-text will mention that here's an image, and the description is in the text. If there are multiple images, the alt-text will give them identifiers so that you know which image is being described when and where.
But I will neither shorten my image descriptions and remove information from them to satisfy the "alt-text must describe the image" crowd, nor will I provide redundant double descriptions by describing an image within the 1,500-character limit in the alt-text and then again in more details outside the alt-text.
How I handle sensitive content and content warnings: Basically, not at all. At least not the Mastodon way.
Hubzilla does have what Mastodon calls #CW. It has had it from its inception as the #RedMatrix in 2012. In fact, #Friendica, which the Red Matrix was forked from, and which had the same creator as the Red Matrix/Hubzilla, had it in 2010 already. It serves a different purpose there, namely to provide summaries for very long posts. But the functionality is largely the same.
However, as far as I can judge, I don't post sensitive text. I write about tech, not about politics or culture or social topics. And, again, I don't write about the real, non-digital world. I've yet to read that any of what I'm writing about may trigger people to the degree that a #ContentWarning would be necessary.
As for images, I can't do anything about them. No, really, I can't. Even if I put a summary on a post which Mastodon will make into a CW, and I put images in that post, Mastodon will show these images unblurred in plain sight for everyone. This is an issue on Mastodon's side. I can't do anything about it. I can have Hubzilla users click two or three times, depending on their own settings, before they can see these images unblurred. Up to four times if I add a spoiler tag on top. At the same time, Mastodon throws the same images in the same post into everyone's faces in their full glory.
That is, the only thing I could do about that is not post images that may count as sensitive for someone out there at all. The problem with this is that the amount of visual content that may count as sensitive constantly grows more and more, and I don't have a full list of it. If I were to stop posting anything that could offend or trigger someone, I might have to stop posting memes altogether because memes/image macros in general trigger some people and specific ones trigger others. Also, I couldn't post pictures taken on medieval or village or urban sims if there's a church in sight which might trigger people who find religion in general or Christianity as a whole offensive. I couldn't post pictures of the famous Sendalonde Community Library, not because that'd require a massive wall of text just to describe the building, but because it may contain books about science, history or philosophy.
Also, I can't always guarantee that in-world pictures don't just happen contain any sensitive elements. There may always be something triggering in them that I'm not aware about. Even if I, as an avatar, avoid looking at the camera (eye contact), there might be another avatar or an NPC or an animesh figure or a static figure somewhere in the background that just happens to look at the camera which I didn't notice in time. Or there may be two avatars dancing, an avatar dancing with an NPC, or a static figure of two people dancing, or a statue of a couple (public display of affection). Or two static figures, one showing a child, one showing an adult woman that's implied to be the child's mother (family). Or maybe, in a picture taken at a very busy and very detailed place, there's a tiny speck that can more or less clearly be identified as a burger or a cake (food) or a bottle of beer (alcohol) or a cat (cats) or an ambulance (health, medicine, work) that was somewhere in the background. Or rather a digital, virtual model of one. I might just discover this myself after posting.
I can't conceal any of this behind a CW for everyone. Within Hubzilla, I can. For people all over Mastodon who make up 99% of my readers, I can't. Again, this is a limitation on Mastodon's side which I have to work around. And the only way I could possibly do so is by not posting any pictures that may offend or trigger someone. I might just as well stop posting images altogether.
Oh, and last but not least: I can't put summaries/CWs on replies.
Unlike Mastodon, Hubzilla has a blog-like, Facebook-like one-post-many-comments thread structure that makes a strict distinction between posts (always only the first) and comments (everything else). And neither Friendica devs nor Hubzilla devs ever thought that a blog comment might grow so long that it'd require a summary. Or that someone would start using summaries for content warnings, especially since Hubzilla has better means for content warnings. So there's no summary functionality for comments.
What it means when I follow you back: Most of the time, it means nothing. It means that I let you follow me. It does not necessarily mean that I actually follow you back.
This is due to a technical limitation on Hubzilla. I've set my channel up in such a way that I have to confirm all new connections. However, when I confirm a new follower connection, I automatically "follow them back", i.e. create a mutual connection. This is hard-coded. I can't change it.
But this does not mean that all your posts actually appear on my stream. If you don't write anything that's within the scope of this channel, I won't allow you to deliver your posts to my stream.
If you write about OpenSim, I will.
If you write about Second Life, I might.
If you write about another virtual world that might be interesting for me, I might.
If you write about the Fediverse, and you don't reduce the Fediverse to only Mastodon, I might.
If you're an in-world acquaintance of mine who doesn't post about OpenSim, I very likely will.
If none of this applies, I won't. I'll let your comments on other posts through, I'll let your direct messages through, but I won't let your posts clutter my stream.
If I let your posts through, but there's a lot of boost spam coming from you that isn't interesting for me, I'll filter your boosts out.
If Hubzilla should ever improve their filters, and I let your posts through, I may still apply a filter that only lets through what I want to read if you post a lot of stuff that I don't find interesting within the scope of this channel.
If you aren't okay with any of this, feel free to block me now before it's too late. I don't care how many people follow me or can read my posts as long as the right ones can. But I will not change the way I post to make it more like Mastodon, especially not if I can't because something is hard-coded.
Thanks for your patience. -
#TuneTuesday #BetterCover
My contribution 11-15!Motorhead – God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa1wdUkeuvEConverge - Wolverine Blues (Entombed)
https://convergecult.bandcamp.com/track/wolverine-blues-w-kevin-baker-apmd-the-hope-conspiracy-etcJawbreaker - You Don’t Know (Joan Jett)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/you-dont-knowJawbreaker - Pack It Up (The Pretenders)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/pack-it-upLeatherface – Message in a Bottle (The Police)
https://leatherfacemusic.bandcamp.com/track/message-in-a-bottle-not-superstitious-7-3 -
#TuneTuesday #BetterCover
My contribution 11-15!Motorhead – God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa1wdUkeuvEConverge - Wolverine Blues (Entombed)
https://convergecult.bandcamp.com/track/wolverine-blues-w-kevin-baker-apmd-the-hope-conspiracy-etcJawbreaker - You Don’t Know (Joan Jett)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/you-dont-knowJawbreaker - Pack It Up (The Pretenders)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/pack-it-upLeatherface – Message in a Bottle (The Police)
https://leatherfacemusic.bandcamp.com/track/message-in-a-bottle-not-superstitious-7-3 -
#TuneTuesday #BetterCover
My contribution 11-15!Motorhead – God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa1wdUkeuvEConverge - Wolverine Blues (Entombed)
https://convergecult.bandcamp.com/track/wolverine-blues-w-kevin-baker-apmd-the-hope-conspiracy-etcJawbreaker - You Don’t Know (Joan Jett)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/you-dont-knowJawbreaker - Pack It Up (The Pretenders)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/pack-it-upLeatherface – Message in a Bottle (The Police)
https://leatherfacemusic.bandcamp.com/track/message-in-a-bottle-not-superstitious-7-3 -
#TuneTuesday #BetterCover
My contribution 11-15!Motorhead – God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa1wdUkeuvEConverge - Wolverine Blues (Entombed)
https://convergecult.bandcamp.com/track/wolverine-blues-w-kevin-baker-apmd-the-hope-conspiracy-etcJawbreaker - You Don’t Know (Joan Jett)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/you-dont-knowJawbreaker - Pack It Up (The Pretenders)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/pack-it-upLeatherface – Message in a Bottle (The Police)
https://leatherfacemusic.bandcamp.com/track/message-in-a-bottle-not-superstitious-7-3 -
#TuneTuesday #BetterCover
My contribution 11-15!Motorhead – God Save the Queen (Sex Pistols)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa1wdUkeuvEConverge - Wolverine Blues (Entombed)
https://convergecult.bandcamp.com/track/wolverine-blues-w-kevin-baker-apmd-the-hope-conspiracy-etcJawbreaker - You Don’t Know (Joan Jett)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/you-dont-knowJawbreaker - Pack It Up (The Pretenders)
https://jawbreakerband.bandcamp.com/track/pack-it-upLeatherface – Message in a Bottle (The Police)
https://leatherfacemusic.bandcamp.com/track/message-in-a-bottle-not-superstitious-7-3 -
#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BLABBERMOUTH
BATTLE BEAST's NOORA LOUHIMO Shares Message In Support Of Pride Month
BATTLE BEAST's Noora Louhimo has shared a message in support of LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Taking place in June, Pride Month is a time when the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community,...https://blabbermouth.net/news/battle-beasts-noora-louhimo-shares-message-in-support-of-pride-month
#NooraLouhimo #PrideMonth #Equality #Humanity #GoodValues #SelfEsteem #TheCloakOfShame #ProudToBeMe #ProudOfYou #BattleBeast #MetalMusic #LGBTQPlus #SupportPride #LoveAndPeace
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IDF Says There Won’t Be Major Fights Left In Lebanon Within A Few Days
Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration of direct talks with the Lebanese government for potential peace, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that within a few days, there won’t be major fights remaining in Lebanon although it might have to engage in limited fighting with the leftover Hezbollah terrorists in specific parts of the country, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from The Jerusalem Post’s news report. Some parts in boldface…
The IDF on Monday said that once it completes its operation against Hezbollah in Bint Jbil in southern Lebanon in the coming days, there will not be any remaining major fights for it to undertake in the area.
In addition, the IDF added that there were still several areas where it would continue to clear Hezbollah weapons that it had found during its invasion of southern Lebanon. Such clearing operations could continue for a longer, somewhat indefinite period.
Further, the IDF might still engage in limited fighting with leftover Hezbollah forces in parts of southern Lebanon who have not withdrawn north of the Litani River with most of Hezbollah’s other forces.
IDF will have no remaining strategic targets in southern Lebanon – However, broadly speaking, the IDF will have no remaining strategic targets in southern Lebanon, and for several days since the Iran ceasefire on Tuesday-Wednesday of last week, the military has refrained from attacks in Beirut and other more strategic areas for Hezbollah.
Even ongoing air force attacks are more focused now on preventing real-time rocket crew threats to Israel’s home front than they are on eliminating Hezbollah’s deeper capabilities, which had been a goal of the IDF when the Israel-Hezbollah conflict was still at its height.
Regarding the Bint Jbil battle, which has already lasted several days, the IDF has already broken into the heart of the village.
Division 98 caught Hezbollah’s dozens or more fighters there by surprise, surrounding them from all sides before they could find a way to retreat and escape.
The Givati Brigade, the Paratroopers Brigade, and multiple commando units, including Maglan, have been involved in the battles in and around Bint Jbil.
Since Division 98 entered the Bint Jbil area, the IDF said that it has successfully eliminated rocket fire on Israel from the area.
Given that some of the heaviest fire from Lebanon had been from Bint Jbil, this has also reduced Hezbollah’s ability to fire on northern Israel in broader strategic terms.
That said, Hezbollah still has significant volumes of rockets that can strike northern Israel from deeper parts of Lebanon beyond the Litani River.
The IDF admitted that despite a huge invasion of southern Lebanon for three months in the fall of 2024, it had failed to fully clear Bint Jbil of weapons at the time.
This current invasion of Bint Jbil is, in part, a corrective measure for that oversight. In addition to Division 98, Divisions 162, 146, 91, and 36 are operating in southern Lebanon.
Collectively, the IDF has killed around 1,400 Hezbollah fighters, around 100 in the Bint Jbil area.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you consider the Hebollah terrorists a weakened force by now? Do you think the IDF is correct that there won’t be major fights remaining in Lebanon after a few days’ time? Should the IDF find and seize as many weapons of the terrorists and destroy as many missile launchers of Hezbollah over the next few days? Do you think the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah will somehow impact the current ceasefire between Trump’s America and the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
#America #AmericaFirst #Ayatollah #BenjaminNetanyahu #CarloCarrasco #ChatGPT #Communist #diversity #DonaldJTrump #DonaldTrump #evilOfIran #Facebook #geek #geopolitics #Google #GoogleSearch #Hamas #Hezbollah #ILoveIsrael #IStandWithIsrael #identityPolitics #Inclusion #Instagram #Investagrams #Iran #Islam #IslamicTerrorism #IslamicTerroristRegimeOfIran #IslamicTerroristStateOfIran #IslamicTerrorists #Islamist #IslamoLeft #Israel #IsraelDefenseForcesIDF #Jerusalem #JewishState #journalism #LebaneseResistanceBrigades #Lebanon #MAGA #MakeAmericaGreatAgain #MakeAmericaGreatAgainMAGA #Marxist #military #militaryLifestyle #OperationRoaringLion #Palestinians #politics #PresidentTrump #Republicans #socialMedia #socialist #soldiers #StateOfIsrael #SupportIsrael #technology #terrorism #terroristStateOfIran #terrorists #TheJerusalemPost #Trump #TrumpSAmerica #Tumblr #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #UnitedStatesOfAmericaUSA #war #warfare #woke #WordPress #WordPressCom -
IDF Says There Won’t Be Major Fights Left In Lebanon Within A Few Days
Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration of direct talks with the Lebanese government for potential peace, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that within a few days, there won’t be major fights remaining in Lebanon although it might have to engage in limited fighting with the leftover Hezbollah terrorists in specific parts of the country, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from The Jerusalem Post’s news report. Some parts in boldface…
The IDF on Monday said that once it completes its operation against Hezbollah in Bint Jbil in southern Lebanon in the coming days, there will not be any remaining major fights for it to undertake in the area.
In addition, the IDF added that there were still several areas where it would continue to clear Hezbollah weapons that it had found during its invasion of southern Lebanon. Such clearing operations could continue for a longer, somewhat indefinite period.
Further, the IDF might still engage in limited fighting with leftover Hezbollah forces in parts of southern Lebanon who have not withdrawn north of the Litani River with most of Hezbollah’s other forces.
IDF will have no remaining strategic targets in southern Lebanon – However, broadly speaking, the IDF will have no remaining strategic targets in southern Lebanon, and for several days since the Iran ceasefire on Tuesday-Wednesday of last week, the military has refrained from attacks in Beirut and other more strategic areas for Hezbollah.
Even ongoing air force attacks are more focused now on preventing real-time rocket crew threats to Israel’s home front than they are on eliminating Hezbollah’s deeper capabilities, which had been a goal of the IDF when the Israel-Hezbollah conflict was still at its height.
Regarding the Bint Jbil battle, which has already lasted several days, the IDF has already broken into the heart of the village.
Division 98 caught Hezbollah’s dozens or more fighters there by surprise, surrounding them from all sides before they could find a way to retreat and escape.
The Givati Brigade, the Paratroopers Brigade, and multiple commando units, including Maglan, have been involved in the battles in and around Bint Jbil.
Since Division 98 entered the Bint Jbil area, the IDF said that it has successfully eliminated rocket fire on Israel from the area.
Given that some of the heaviest fire from Lebanon had been from Bint Jbil, this has also reduced Hezbollah’s ability to fire on northern Israel in broader strategic terms.
That said, Hezbollah still has significant volumes of rockets that can strike northern Israel from deeper parts of Lebanon beyond the Litani River.
The IDF admitted that despite a huge invasion of southern Lebanon for three months in the fall of 2024, it had failed to fully clear Bint Jbil of weapons at the time.
This current invasion of Bint Jbil is, in part, a corrective measure for that oversight. In addition to Division 98, Divisions 162, 146, 91, and 36 are operating in southern Lebanon.
Collectively, the IDF has killed around 1,400 Hezbollah fighters, around 100 in the Bint Jbil area.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you consider the Hebollah terrorists a weakened force by now? Do you think the IDF is correct that there won’t be major fights remaining in Lebanon after a few days’ time? Should the IDF find and seize as many weapons of the terrorists and destroy as many missile launchers of Hezbollah over the next few days? Do you think the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah will somehow impact the current ceasefire between Trump’s America and the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
+++++
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
#America #AmericaFirst #Ayatollah #BenjaminNetanyahu #CarloCarrasco #ChatGPT #Communist #diversity #DonaldJTrump #DonaldTrump #evilOfIran #Facebook #geek #geopolitics #Google #GoogleSearch #Hamas #Hezbollah #ILoveIsrael #IStandWithIsrael #identityPolitics #Inclusion #Instagram #Investagrams #Iran #Islam #IslamicTerrorism #IslamicTerroristRegimeOfIran #IslamicTerroristStateOfIran #IslamicTerrorists #Islamist #IslamoLeft #Israel #IsraelDefenseForcesIDF #Jerusalem #JewishState #journalism #LebaneseResistanceBrigades #Lebanon #MAGA #MakeAmericaGreatAgain #MakeAmericaGreatAgainMAGA #Marxist #military #militaryLifestyle #OperationRoaringLion #Palestinians #politics #PresidentTrump #Republicans #socialMedia #socialist #soldiers #StateOfIsrael #SupportIsrael #technology #terrorism #terroristStateOfIran #terrorists #TheJerusalemPost #Trump #TrumpSAmerica #Tumblr #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #UnitedStatesOfAmericaUSA #war #warfare #woke #WordPress #WordPressCom -
I need to get it out of my chest. I've been listening to this piece of music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBNbyxcHRk
This game offers a tragedy story of the innocence of a child growing up to understand the value of life and how sacrifices must be made in order to preserve the beauty of it. For a "kids' game" that is such a profound lesson to learn, and it doesn't shy away from telling us how ethereal our life and how it can go off in the blink of an eye. The lessons of those who left us behind are carried until the last moment without backing up or surprise "hey I'm back" that often stories like to tell, this fuels even further the message and the meaning of those.
Mario Paper: The Origami King was in several levels a piece of art I would have never expected. It has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard which compliments not only the game's rhythm and changes but also follows along the lore so well, once you merge the pieces of how the music assists not only the game but the lore it just gives it another meaning on how multiple teams, people can work on producing something so well integrated it is in another level.
Spoilers ahead
I mean it has been out for a while so... I'm not sure these count as spoilers, what I'm about to tell is in terms of the story and the characters, not the gameplay...
This song which corresponds to the last fight between Mario, Olivia and King Oly right away tells you about how heroic and important this fight is going to be, it will be the hardest battle you will have to face at this point, redemption is not an apparent option at this point so you will have to give it all. Mario surprisingly is not there to be the "Hero" we're used to see him as, he's merely a support character in this fight as the true battle lies between Olivia and King Oly. You can hear this song and find both Male and Female choruses contrasting each other through the piece, I personally choose to interpret that as a brother and sister fighting to bring back sanity to the kingdom, Olivia of course is torn apart by doing this as she loves her brother, however she cannot let down the valuable lessons learned through her journey and the sacrifice of his beloved friend. She knows she has to carry on and do what she must in order to restore balance and help Mario and the mushroom kingdom in undoing the atrocities his brother did...
Best Game? maybe not... A piece of Art? Absolutely in so many levels, everyone involved should be so proud of what they have achieved with it.
That being said... This is just my thoughts, my feelings, my opinions and you're completely on your rights to think differently. Perhaps the story is cheesy for you, or the gameplay mechanics take away the experience... I don't intend to invalidate your opinions or feelings against the game.
#PaperMario #PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing #Nintendo #Switch #NintentoSwitch #VideoGames #Games #GoodGames #GameLore #MarioBros -
I need to get it out of my chest. I've been listening to this piece of music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBNbyxcHRk
This game offers a tragedy story of the innocence of a child growing up to understand the value of life and how sacrifices must be made in order to preserve the beauty of it. For a "kids' game" that is such a profound lesson to learn, and it doesn't shy away from telling us how ethereal our life and how it can go off in the blink of an eye. The lessons of those who left us behind are carried until the last moment without backing up or surprise "hey I'm back" that often stories like to tell, this fuels even further the message and the meaning of those.
Mario Paper: The Origami King was in several levels a piece of art I would have never expected. It has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard which compliments not only the game's rhythm and changes but also follows along the lore so well, once you merge the pieces of how the music assists not only the game but the lore it just gives it another meaning on how multiple teams, people can work on producing something so well integrated it is in another level.
Spoilers ahead
I mean it has been out for a while so... I'm not sure these count as spoilers, what I'm about to tell is in terms of the story and the characters, not the gameplay...
This song which corresponds to the last fight between Mario, Olivia and King Oly right away tells you about how heroic and important this fight is going to be, it will be the hardest battle you will have to face at this point, redemption is not an apparent option at this point so you will have to give it all. Mario surprisingly is not there to be the "Hero" we're used to see him as, he's merely a support character in this fight as the true battle lies between Olivia and King Oly. You can hear this song and find both Male and Female choruses contrasting each other through the piece, I personally choose to interpret that as a brother and sister fighting to bring back sanity to the kingdom, Olivia of course is torn apart by doing this as she loves her brother, however she cannot let down the valuable lessons learned through her journey and the sacrifice of his beloved friend. She knows she has to carry on and do what she must in order to restore balance and help Mario and the mushroom kingdom in undoing the atrocities his brother did...
Best Game? maybe not... A piece of Art? Absolutely in so many levels, everyone involved should be so proud of what they have achieved with it.
That being said... This is just my thoughts, my feelings, my opinions and you're completely on your rights to think differently. Perhaps the story is cheesy for you, or the gameplay mechanics take away the experience... I don't intend to invalidate your opinions or feelings against the game.
#PaperMario #PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing #Nintendo #Switch #NintentoSwitch #VideoGames #Games #GoodGames #GameLore #MarioBros -
I need to get it out of my chest. I've been listening to this piece of music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBNbyxcHRk
This game offers a tragedy story of the innocence of a child growing up to understand the value of life and how sacrifices must be made in order to preserve the beauty of it. For a "kids' game" that is such a profound lesson to learn, and it doesn't shy away from telling us how ethereal our life and how it can go off in the blink of an eye. The lessons of those who left us behind are carried until the last moment without backing up or surprise "hey I'm back" that often stories like to tell, this fuels even further the message and the meaning of those.
Mario Paper: The Origami King was in several levels a piece of art I would have never expected. It has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard which compliments not only the game's rhythm and changes but also follows along the lore so well, once you merge the pieces of how the music assists not only the game but the lore it just gives it another meaning on how multiple teams, people can work on producing something so well integrated it is in another level.
Spoilers ahead
I mean it has been out for a while so... I'm not sure these count as spoilers, what I'm about to tell is in terms of the story and the characters, not the gameplay...
This song which corresponds to the last fight between Mario, Olivia and King Oly right away tells you about how heroic and important this fight is going to be, it will be the hardest battle you will have to face at this point, redemption is not an apparent option at this point so you will have to give it all. Mario surprisingly is not there to be the "Hero" we're used to see him as, he's merely a support character in this fight as the true battle lies between Olivia and King Oly. You can hear this song and find both Male and Female choruses contrasting each other through the piece, I personally choose to interpret that as a brother and sister fighting to bring back sanity to the kingdom, Olivia of course is torn apart by doing this as she loves her brother, however she cannot let down the valuable lessons learned through her journey and the sacrifice of his beloved friend. She knows she has to carry on and do what she must in order to restore balance and help Mario and the mushroom kingdom in undoing the atrocities his brother did...
Best Game? maybe not... A piece of Art? Absolutely in so many levels, everyone involved should be so proud of what they have achieved with it.
That being said... This is just my thoughts, my feelings, my opinions and you're completely on your rights to think differently. Perhaps the story is cheesy for you, or the gameplay mechanics take away the experience... I don't intend to invalidate your opinions or feelings against the game.
#PaperMario #PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing #Nintendo #Switch #NintentoSwitch #VideoGames #Games #GoodGames #GameLore #MarioBros -
I need to get it out of my chest. I've been listening to this piece of music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBNbyxcHRk
This game offers a tragedy story of the innocence of a child growing up to understand the value of life and how sacrifices must be made in order to preserve the beauty of it. For a "kids' game" that is such a profound lesson to learn, and it doesn't shy away from telling us how ethereal our life and how it can go off in the blink of an eye. The lessons of those who left us behind are carried until the last moment without backing up or surprise "hey I'm back" that often stories like to tell, this fuels even further the message and the meaning of those.
Mario Paper: The Origami King was in several levels a piece of art I would have never expected. It has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard which compliments not only the game's rhythm and changes but also follows along the lore so well, once you merge the pieces of how the music assists not only the game but the lore it just gives it another meaning on how multiple teams, people can work on producing something so well integrated it is in another level.
Spoilers ahead
I mean it has been out for a while so... I'm not sure these count as spoilers, what I'm about to tell is in terms of the story and the characters, not the gameplay...
This song which corresponds to the last fight between Mario, Olivia and King Oly right away tells you about how heroic and important this fight is going to be, it will be the hardest battle you will have to face at this point, redemption is not an apparent option at this point so you will have to give it all. Mario surprisingly is not there to be the "Hero" we're used to see him as, he's merely a support character in this fight as the true battle lies between Olivia and King Oly. You can hear this song and find both Male and Female choruses contrasting each other through the piece, I personally choose to interpret that as a brother and sister fighting to bring back sanity to the kingdom, Olivia of course is torn apart by doing this as she loves her brother, however she cannot let down the valuable lessons learned through her journey and the sacrifice of his beloved friend. She knows she has to carry on and do what she must in order to restore balance and help Mario and the mushroom kingdom in undoing the atrocities his brother did...
Best Game? maybe not... A piece of Art? Absolutely in so many levels, everyone involved should be so proud of what they have achieved with it.
That being said... This is just my thoughts, my feelings, my opinions and you're completely on your rights to think differently. Perhaps the story is cheesy for you, or the gameplay mechanics take away the experience... I don't intend to invalidate your opinions or feelings against the game.
#PaperMario #PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing #Nintendo #Switch #NintentoSwitch #VideoGames #Games #GoodGames #GameLore #MarioBros -
I need to get it out of my chest. I've been listening to this piece of music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBNbyxcHRk
This game offers a tragedy story of the innocence of a child growing up to understand the value of life and how sacrifices must be made in order to preserve the beauty of it. For a "kids' game" that is such a profound lesson to learn, and it doesn't shy away from telling us how ethereal our life and how it can go off in the blink of an eye. The lessons of those who left us behind are carried until the last moment without backing up or surprise "hey I'm back" that often stories like to tell, this fuels even further the message and the meaning of those.
Mario Paper: The Origami King was in several levels a piece of art I would have never expected. It has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard which compliments not only the game's rhythm and changes but also follows along the lore so well, once you merge the pieces of how the music assists not only the game but the lore it just gives it another meaning on how multiple teams, people can work on producing something so well integrated it is in another level.
Spoilers ahead
I mean it has been out for a while so... I'm not sure these count as spoilers, what I'm about to tell is in terms of the story and the characters, not the gameplay...
This song which corresponds to the last fight between Mario, Olivia and King Oly right away tells you about how heroic and important this fight is going to be, it will be the hardest battle you will have to face at this point, redemption is not an apparent option at this point so you will have to give it all. Mario surprisingly is not there to be the "Hero" we're used to see him as, he's merely a support character in this fight as the true battle lies between Olivia and King Oly. You can hear this song and find both Male and Female choruses contrasting each other through the piece, I personally choose to interpret that as a brother and sister fighting to bring back sanity to the kingdom, Olivia of course is torn apart by doing this as she loves her brother, however she cannot let down the valuable lessons learned through her journey and the sacrifice of his beloved friend. She knows she has to carry on and do what she must in order to restore balance and help Mario and the mushroom kingdom in undoing the atrocities his brother did...
Best Game? maybe not... A piece of Art? Absolutely in so many levels, everyone involved should be so proud of what they have achieved with it.
That being said... This is just my thoughts, my feelings, my opinions and you're completely on your rights to think differently. Perhaps the story is cheesy for you, or the gameplay mechanics take away the experience... I don't intend to invalidate your opinions or feelings against the game.
#PaperMario #PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing #Nintendo #Switch #NintentoSwitch #VideoGames #Games #GoodGames #GameLore #MarioBros -
Indian Peter’s Penny Post: the thread about Edinburgh first local postal service, house numbers and street directories
This thread is a write-up of a talk given for the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust in June 2023. It has been split across multiple sections for ease of reading.
This vacance is a heavy doom
The Rising of the Session, Robert Fergusson
On Indian Peter’s Coffee Room,
For a’ his china pigs are toom;
Nor do we see
In wine the sicker bisket’s soom
As light’s a flee.In this verse, the “lights” that Robert Fergusson refers to are the men of law of the Court of Session in 18th century Edinburgh, fleeing the city in the summer to their country houses, away from the stench of the Old Town. Indian Peter’s Coffee Room was a small establishment within the Parliament Hall itself, the outer house of the Court of Session, Scotland’s supreme civil court, it’s patrons being the men of the law who conducted their business there. The “china pigs” are the drinks vessels and are empty now the customers are gone, and the “sicker biskets soom” is the dipping of small, sweet biscuits into the wine.
Part 1. Indian Peter.
So who was “Indian Peter”? Before we can go any further in our story it is very important to understand some of his long and complex life history, as it is relevant to his character and his motivations in later life. Indian Peter was Peter Williamson, born 1730 in Aberdeenshire. He was the son of a farmer and as a boy was sent to live with an aunt in Aberdeen. Aged 13, while hanging around the quayside in that city, he was tricked aboard a ship under false pretences and imprisoned. Not long thereafter he was part of a cargo of 70 abducted boys and girls who were taken to North America on board the ship Planter to be sold as a slave labour. On arrival in the New World, the vessel was shipwrecked, and the children were abandoned to their fate. When it was clear that they had survived, their captors returned and took them for sale. Peter was sold for £16 to a Scots settler who had arrived in America by the same method he had. He was as fortunate as his circumstances could allow him and his new master treated him well and schooled him.
The master died when Peter was aged 17, leaving him his horse, saddle and £120. With little reason to return to Scotland, Williamson settled down to farm and marry. His wife’s family were planters of some means and he was given a good property to work by his father-in-law. His recent good fortune however took a turn for the worse in 1754 when the farm was raided and burnt to the ground by the native Lenape people: the Delaware Indians. His wife was absent at the time but Peter was taken captive and forced to carry off his best possessions as booty. He spent some time as a captive with the Delaware, acting as a porter. During this experience he claimed to have been tortured and to have seen other settlers tortured or killed, but also picked up some of their customs (which he would later adopt and which would personify him in Edinburgh).
“The Indian Threatens Peter Williamson”, from The Red True Story Book, 1895, an illustration by H. J. FordAfter 4 months of captivity, Williamson seized a night time opportunity and escaped under the cover of the noise and activity of wild hogs and managed to return to the planter community. Tragically he found that his wife had died two months previously. Motivated by loss or revenge, he joined a British regiment in the Seven Years War to fight against the French and their Indian allies, serving for 18 months before being captured and imprisoned for the third time in his life in 1756 at the Battle of Oswego.
The Battle of Fort Oswego, where a French, Canadian and Indian force overwhelmed British defenders. Photogravure by John Henry Walker, 1877, from Journal de MontréalWounded, he was sent to a camp in Quebec he was soon fortunate to be repatriated to Britain in a prisoner exchange and that same year landed a broken man in Plymouth. Paid off from the army due to injury with a paltry sum, he headed for “home” in Aberdeen but ran out of his funds in York. It was here he ingratiated himself with some gentlemen who published an account of his life’s adventure in a book called “French and Indian Cruelty”. The book was a success and with the money he made from it he was able to return to Aberdeen, intending to sell his book and settle down. However the Aberdeen magistrates, who he had accused of being complicit in his abduction as a boy (and that of hundreds of other children) had other ideas and had him arrested and his books impounded. To secure his release, he had to agree to sign a retraction of his story and accusations, to pay a fine of 10 shillings, and to have his books publicly burned by the town executioner.
Spurned by his home town, he headed south to Edinburgh where he ingratiated himself amongst some men of the law. Appalled by his tale, they agreed to help him sue the Magistrates of Aberdeen. Williamson was able to build up a convincing legal case, supported by many witnesses, and surprised everyone by winning. He was awarded £100 in damages and his expenses. The magistrates, represented by one Walter Scott (the father of Sir Walter Scott) appealed, and lost. Settling in Edinburgh with his award, he re-published his book and set himself up as a tavern keeper on the Parliament Square. A sign over the door of his establishment reputedly read “PETER WILLIAMSON, VINTNER FROM THE OTHER WORLD“. When business was slow, he would don the guise of a Delaware Indian which he had managed to procure and perform a “war dance” in the High Street. Thus he became an accepted eccentric in the city’s social scene as “Indian Peter“, “Peter Williamson of the Mohawk Nation” and the “King of the Indians“.
He moved his business into the Parliament Hall as a coffee house, with the men of the law being his primary clientèle. He was also popular amongst the literary men and as well as Fergusson his shop was patronised by James Boswell and Sir Walter Scott and he was a correspondent with Ben Franklin.
“The Parliament Close and Public Characters of Edinburgh, Fifty Years Since”, in the style of John Kay, 1849, the bustling legal heart of the city in Williamson’s timeIndian Peter was not content to just live the life of a coffee house keeper and local celebrity however, and showed an irrepressible entrepreneurial streak. During a visit to London, he bought a portable printing press, which he returned to Edinburgh. Unable to break the closed ranks of the city’s printers for training, he instead taught himself how to operate it and went into business as a printer, publisher and book seller. At times he also ran a small bank (offering to exchange bank notes for “ready money, books or coffee” and even ran a lottery offering two squirrels as the prize!
Transcription of one of Williamson’s bank notes, which was probably more of a joke and gimmick amongst his friends than a serious business propositionThe name “Ready Money Bank” was a jibe aimed at some of the Scottish banks, which at this time issued “option clause” notes, where your note, when presented for redemption, was at risk of being paid out not in cash but for a note of another bank.
Peter Williamson. A caricature by John Kay from 1791 called “Travells eldest son talks with a Cherokee chief” © Edinburgh City LibrariesBut it was in 1773 where Williamson’s two greatest contributions to the City are made; he establishes a Penny Post (only the second such service in the British Isles) and he began compiling and publishing street directories of the city and its principal residents. It is now that our story really begins. So why are these innovations of his so important? Firstly, they allowed anyone to send communications within the city, quickly, reliably and (relatively) cheaply and they told you to whom to send it and where! It is the beginning of a modern communication network within the city, a city which was just beginning to break free of the ancient confines of the Old Town and across the Nor’ Loch valley to the opportunities, space and clear air of the New Town. The Postal Museum states “in particular, the Edinburgh Penny Post [was] influential in establishing the pattern for the Provincial English Penny Posts that followed.“
Part 2. The Edinburgh Penny Post
Before the advent of the Edinburgh Penny Post, messages were carried around the city by your own servants or you could hire a Caddie (the town’s licensed class of porters and messengers) or pay a trustworthy child to run the errand. It was also the job of the Caddie to know everyone and everything, they acted as an informal news, communications and intelligence network.
An Edinburgh Caddie, by David Allan. Note the numbered badge of his trade, his licence to work, worn on the jacket breast. CC-by-NC National Galleries ScotlandThe first Penny Post was established in London by William Dockwra in 1680, but he quickly fell foul of the General Post Office (GPO) monopoly and the fact his service was thought to be carrying seditious letters, it was seized from him, his patent forfeit and was ordered to pay £2,000 compensation. But you can’t keep a good idea down, and in 1765 an act was passed (Postage Act 1765) permitting licensed Penny Posts in provincial towns and cities. Although Williamson established his post in 1773, it was not until 1776 that he was formally granted permission from the Postmaster General for his service. His network in the city operated from 9AM to 9PM each day and for an English penny (paid up front, or on delivery) you could send a letter or small packet within one English mile of the Mercat Cross, north, south, east or west, and to Leith. The service to the latter, the city’s port, operated 8 times a day in both directions, between 8AM and 7PM.
Williamson’s Penny Post stamps, for mail sent payment on delivery (left) or paid in advance (right). These stamps are thought to have been made by Williamson himself from his experience of his printing press.Four postmen were employed, who carried a hand bell to advertise their presence and wore a service cap with the name “Williamson’s Penny Post” painted or embroidered on it in silver and who were paid 4 shilling and 6 pence per week. The story goes that the caps were numbered 1, 4, 8 and 16 to make it appear as if the business was 4 times bigger than it really was. Knowing Williamson’s inventive abilities for self promotion, this does not seem that far fetched to be true. Of only one of the postmen do we have any sort of an insight, a highlander by the name of Donald Mackintosh who hailed from the vicinity of from near Blair Atholl and Killiecrankie. Mackintosh would have been in his thirties at this time and his task was described as a “his “useful though humble vocation”. He would later rise to prominence in his own right as an Episcopalian clergyman and a scholar of Scottish Gaelic.
Illustration by Will Nickless, 1962, purporting to show one of Williamson’s Penny Post men delivering a letter.It was not only the four postmen who collected letters, they could also be dropped off at a network of 18 “receiving houses” in the city and Leith, which were pre-existing shops that Williamson had convinced to act as post offices. His carriers would call at them on their rounds to collect any deposited letters for onward delivery. He listed these in the directory, making it relatively easy to plot them to a map. At this stage the New Town could be served by a single receiving house on St. Andrew Street, the Canongate and southern suburbs both each by a single house too. The 1775 directory had a slightly refined network, with the concentration in the centre of the High Street reduced, additional houses in each of the Canongate and Southside and an additional house in Leith.
Williamson’s network of receiving houses in 1773-74, as listed in his directory. The red triangle is the GPO on North Bridge. Overlaid on Kincaid’s plan of Edinburgh (1784) and Wood’s plan of Leith (1777), both reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandMuch of the business for the Penny Post came from the men of the law that Williamson was already ingratiated with – reflected in the concentration of receiving houses around the Parliament Square – as it was they who had a business need to communicate quickly and frequently across the city. They knew him well: he was both in their fold but an outsider in the city hierarchy; he had long overheard their intimate business discussions in his tavern and coffee house without making a nuisance of himself. He was therefore a man to be trusted with their secrets.
A letter sent by Williamson’s Penny Post, to Mr William Brodie at Mr Robert Donaldson’s, Writer to the Signet, New TownBut it was not just the city’s lawyers and merchants who found use for the Penny Post. It offered an important new opportunity to women, as for the first time they could begin to converse privately through writing, away from the prying eyes of the servants who up until that time would have been entrusted with carrying letters. One exceptional romance is recorded as taking place discretely though Williamson’s delivery network; that of Robert Burns and Agnes Maclehose, known either as his Nancy, or Clarinda. In all, this flourishing written courtship amounted to 88 letters, carried by the Penny Post, and what Sir Walter Scott described as “the most extraordinary mixture of sense and nonsense, and of love human and divine, that was ever exposed to the eye of the world“. Burns, bedridden at the time after injuring his leg, was lodgning near the St. Andrew Street receiving house in the New Town and Nancy was but a short distance from the branch on Chapel Street, just beyond the Potterrow. On some days the couple would exchange as many as two letters each, in both directions.
Mrs Agnes McLehose, c. 1840s, Artist unknown. CC-by-NC National Galleries ScotlandEven at this early stage, in a relatively small city, the correct addressing of mail was an issue for the Penny Post and Williamson had to print begging notices in his directories pleading for letters to be clearly and non-ambiguously addressed.
To The Public, a notice in Williamson’s directory asking for mail to be clearly addressedOne of Williamson’s receiving houses was the premises of John Wilson, a bookseller who had one of the shops in the colonnade in front of the Royal Exchange (now the City Chambers). Wilson also sold Williamson’s directories and happened to be his father-in-law. He is absent from the later versions of the list of Receiving Houses. This is with good reason; Williamson had separated for his wife – Jean Wilson – having accused her both of serial adultery and also of interfering with the Penny Post and misappropriating its profits. She had also cut him off from access to his children, including the eldest daughter who made a reasonable addition to the family income as a mantua maker (specialising in making ladies’ mantles) and with her father had set up a rival operation to try and run Peter out of business! But if the story so far has taught us anything, it is that when he was down, Peter Williamson was never out, and he would come back fighting. Once more he turned to his friends in the legal establishment and he built up an indestructible case against his wife. He cited nineteen different servants, doctors and lawyers as witnesses; she put up none in defence. She tried to get Williamson to pay for her legal defence, the court found that she had left him in forma pauperis (in the manner of a pauper; unable to pay) which further damaged her reputation. Williamson was granted divorce in his favour in March 1789 and regained control of his businesses and custody of his children. To recoup his losses from this case, he published a sensational account of his wife’s “crimes” against him, which having been proven in court he had no need to worry about being sued over.
In all, Williamson would run his Penny Post successfully for 19 years, it returning him on average a profit of £50 per annum (about £6,500 in 2023). However the reality was that he was ageing, and his energy for self promotion, fighting off the competition and keeping his postmen in check was waning. In 1790 Francis Freeling, the secretary to the Postmaster General, visited Edinburgh and observed the Penny Post in action. Suitably impressed, on his return to London he recommended to his superior that the GPO should take the service over and run it for itself. A younger Williamson may have tried to resist, but he sensibly acquiesced to authority and in 1793 the GPO took over the service. But true to form, he did not hand it over before overstating both his age and his financial dependence on the Post in a letter to the Postmaster General, ensuring he received a pension of £25 for life in return for relinquishing control.
A Victorian postman of the GPO in 1820, from the cover of the sheet music for a popular song “The Postman’s Knock”.We have also to beg your Lordships permission to authorise us to allow Mr. Williamson of Edinburgh £25 per annum, he having long had the profits of 1d. a letter on certain letters forwarded through his receiving house in Edinburgh, which he will lose by our having established a penny post there.
Passage from a letter from the Postmaster General to the Treasury, requesting Williamson’s pension, 17th July 1793The GPO quickly adapted the service to their own practices, cutting down both the number of receiving houses – from 18 to 9, the number of collections to 5 per day and the number of deliveries to 3; but at relatively fixed times of morning 98AM), early evening and late evening (7PM). They increased the number of postmen to 20 and by 1817 there were 30.
Part 3. Williamson’s Postal Directories
Williamson’s other great innovation in 1773-74 was the collation and publication of a postal directory for the city. (You can view this directory for yourself here, on the website of the National Library of Scotland.) He described it himself thusly:
An alphabetical list of the names and places of abode of the members of the college of justice; public and private gentlemen; merchants, and other eminent traders; mechanics and all persons in public business; where at one view you have a plain Direction, pointing out the Streets, Wynds, Closes, Lands and other Places of their Residence, in and about this Metropolis. Together with Separate Lists of the Magistrates, Court of Session and Court of Exchequer, the Constables of Edinburgh, Canongate and Leith, Carriers, etc.
Descriptive preface to Williamson’s first postal directoryThis was the first comprehensive directory of anyone who was anyone in the city, what they did and where they were based. Williamson also includes useful information such as the boundaries of parishes, the members of the town council, the constables, and lists of carriers, the days they depart and where they operated from and to, and of course a list of his own Penny Post receiving houses. He operated this as a vertically-integrated business; he gathered the contents, published and printed it on his own presses, used it to advertise his Penny Post system and sold it himself at his own bookshop.
An extract of the first 4 pages of entries under the letter A for Williamson’s first Postal Directory of Edinburgh, 1773-74. CC-by 4.0 National Library of ScotlandTo produce the publication, Williamson claimed to have visited every address in the city to compile details of the occupants and their professions. Many were suspicious of his motives and would not consent to give their details, which resulted in an incomplete listing that has a large appendix of late additions, which made it hard to use. A unique and cumbersome feature of the first directory was that within each letter of the alphabet, he sub-organised the contents by profession. While this makes it harder to find what you are looking for, it is a fascinating insight into the rigid social and professional hierarchies of the city at this time and perhaps the relative esteem with which Williamson himself held each class of profession. In all, the directory lists 3,914 individuals and 130 different occupations, some of which I have grouped together for convenience (e.g. shoemakers and clogmakers; barbers, wigmakers and hairdressers). The table below ranks professions with the the highest 15 and lowest 15 positions in the directory in the 1773-74 directory.
Rank“Highest 15” professionsRank“Lowest 15” professions1Advocates (barristers)15Baxters (bakers)2Clerks/ Writers to the Signet14Fleshers (butchers)3Lords’ and Advocates’ Clerks13Barbers, Wigmakers & Hairdressers4Writers (solicitors)12Candlemakers5Procurators (prosecutors)11Shoe & Clogmakers6Exchequer10Taylors & staymakers7Physicians9Weavers8Ministers8School masters, teachers, academics9Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ladies and Gentlewomen7Milliners & Mantua-makers10Bankers6Excisemen11Merchants5Stablers12Grocers4Engravers13Ship-masters3Bookbinders14Surgeons2Confectioners15Brewers1Room setters (letting agents) & boardersThe contents of this directory also allow us to easily total up the relative frequency of the different occupations amongst the entries and plot them as a chart (below). From this we can observe that a full quarter of the entries are for the Incorporated Trades (i.e. the officially recognised and established trade and craft associations of the city, such as bakers, butchers, goldsmiths, taylors, weavers etc.). A further fifth are the men of the law, and a tenth are the merchants. This is fully unsurprising for a city built upon the prosperity and power of these groups. We can see that the nobility, by volume, are a relatively small component, and while print, medicine and education are relatively small contributions, these are three industries that will flourish in Edinburgh in the next 100 years and that the city will become synonymous with.
There are no street numbers in any of Williamson’s Directories until 1784. Prior to this, locations are simple, relatively vague and purely descriptive such as “head of Baillie Fyfe’s Close” or “Grassmarket, south side“. The introduction of numbers at first was just for the New Town and small parts of the Southside of the city (Nicolson Street and Chapel Street), the exception being James’ Court, which at the time was an exclusive address.
Although he originally intended to produce only a single directory, in the end they were such a success that Williamson published them for 17 years. For his final directory, that for a two year period of 1790-92, he subcontracted the printing out to Campbell Denovan, but retained the rights to sell a certain volume of copies exclusively. From 1794 the Edinburgh directories would be published by Thomas Aitchison, and then again the Denovans in 1804 before the Post Office itself took over in 1805 (although the printing was still local in Edinburgh). These later directories conform very closely to the style and structure first set out by Williamson, a testament to his ability to bring a systematic and ordered approach to what was a very chaotic city.
Williamson exercised this latter talent in what is a remarkable document, known either as “Williamson’s Broadside” or “An Accurate View of All the Streets, Wynds, Squares, and Closes of the City of Edinburgh, Suburbs, and Canongate, on both sides of the High-street, from the Castle to Holyrood-house, agreeable to the names they are at present known by, together with those in the New Town and Leith.”. This large printed page was a comprehensive list of all the closes and streets of the city and Leith, and their relative order and position to each other and the principal landmarks. An invaluable reference then, it is even more so now for modern eyes interested in where the old streets and closes were located and what names were in use. Ever the man with an eye on business, the corners of the page advertise other products and services sold by Williamson such as his Penny Post, stamps for marking books and linen, printed funeral announcement cards, and a form of fortune-telling cards he printed.
Williamson’s Broadside, folded up. You can view the full sheet at the below link to the Book of the Old Edinburgh Club.You can view the full broadside for yourself in a chapter that starts on Page 261 of volume 22 (original series) of the Book of the Old Edinburgh Club, published in 1939, which is digitised online here.
With his Penny Posts in the hands of the GPO and his directories with Campbell Denovan, Peter Williamson retired with his pension and what was left of his profits from these businesses (he claimed his wife and father-in-law had robbed him of fully three quarters of the latter) and took up a tavern in the Lawnmarket. He died in January 1799, and was buried in “The full panoply of a Delaware chief” in the grave of Mr. J. Scott, some distance north-east of William Nicol, beneath a stone surmounted by an urn.
Part 4. Street Numbering and Re-Numbering
Street numbering in Edinburgh started in the early 1780s, Williamson’s directories first reflecting it in 1784. It progressed as the New Town itself expanded, and the practice slowly began to spread to other parts of the city. Streets with only one side were simply numbered in a series from one upwards. However at this time there was no agreed manner by which to number doors in streets with two sides (which was most of them!) Three principal methods existed and all were implemented and existed side-by-side with no consistent approach – indeed the New Town used all three!
- The first method used is that with which we are familiar today: one side of a street has even numbers and the other has odd numbers, and the numbers increase in series as you move along the street.
- The second method was a “there and back again” method, whereby numbering progressed in an increasing series of odd and even numbers from number 1, up one side of the street, to the end, and then back down the other side. This meant that the highest and lowest numbers of the street were opposite each other. Nicolson Street was one street that used this method of numbering.
- The third method was that of “northside / southside”. In this system, the street sides were named north and south (or east and west) and each side was numbered from 1 upwards in a continuous series. As a result, each number was duplicated, No. 1 North Side and No. 1 South Side were opposite each other, and without specifying which side of the street a letter was intended for or an advert was referring to one could easily end up with the wrong door.
By 1811 the system (if you could call it that) was in chaos, as not only was there no consistent methodology but demolitions, new buildings and subdivisions had caused numbering sequences to become haphazard and out of sequence. Something had to be done, and done it was. Despite a curious lack of historical record in either the City Archives or contemporary newspapers, on Whitsunday 1811 there was a wholesale and systematic renumbering of much of the City which had been numbered up to that point. The Caledonian Mercury contains one of the few examples evidencing this wholesale change:
Caledonian Mercury – Saturday 27 April 1811The new numbering system split the city into quadrants, using the east-west axis of the High Street and the north-south axis of the Bridges and St. Andrew Street (shown as the yellow line on the map below). Within each of these quadrants, streets with two sides would be numbered with odd doors on one side and evens on the other, and the number series would increase as you moved away from the axis (shown by the blue lines on the map below) – so in theory the numbers always increase as you move away from the centre point of the quadrants. The system placed the odd numbered doors on your right and the even numbered doors on your left as you walked along any street in the direction of increasing numbers.
The street re-numbering axes and directions of increasing numbers, overlaid on a map of Edinburgh by John Ainslie, 1804. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandThere were of course exceptions to the system. The Grassmarket ran in the “wrong” direction, retaining its former door numbering order which increased towards the axis. The Cowgate passes underneath the South Bridge axis, so one half of it (the western end) was inevitably not going to be able to conform. The east west axis – the “Royal Mile” of the Canongate, High Street, Lawn Market and Castle Hill – was numbered in two sequences. The first was the Canongate, uphill from the palace of Holyroodhouse to old burgh boundary with Edinburgh at the Netherbow. The High Street, Lawnmarket and Castle Hill were numbered into one continuous uphill sequence from the Netherbow. It is for this reason that to this day, the Lawnmarket street numbers start at 300 (evens) and 435 (odds), and there are no numbers 2 to 298 or 1 to 433 Lawnmarket. Similarly the numbering on the Castlehill starts at 348 (evens) and 525 (odds). Other oddities include Great King Street, where the evens are on your right instead of the odds, and South Bridge, which retained the old “there and back again” numbering and still does to this day (this is despite the North Bridge and Nicolson Street, its northern and southern extensions, being re-numbered)
The street numbering of the South Bridge, on Ainslie’s Town Plan of 1804. The map has been rotated by 90 degrees for clarity. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandThe First New Town of Edinburgh, that part planned out by James Craig and that existed prior to 1811, conforms almost perfectly to the rules of the 1811 numbering system. On the map below, the red arrows show the street numbers ascend in the correct directions. The squares of Charlotte and St. Andrew are ordered in a clockwise manner. The Northern or Second New Town, the section north of Queen Street Gardens was developed from 1800 onwards so conformed to the scheme too (with the exception of the already noted Great King Street). The “Moray Feu” extension of the New Town, shown in the blue arrows, was developed from 1822 and conformed with the 1811 scheme, with the anomaly of Great Stuart Street, which is interrupted by Ainslie Place, so you have to pass through the latter to get to the other side of the former.
Edinburgh map by Bartholomew, 1891. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandThe West End (green arrows on the map above) was feud from the estate of Walker of Coates from 1813 onwards and took its own, haphazard approach as it developed in a piecemeal manner. Queensferry Street is numbered in a “there and back again” nature; the numbers on some streets ascend in the right direction, but with the odds and evens on the wrong sides; Drumsheugh Gardens increases in an anti-clockwise manner, and towards the Dean Bridge; the street is Lynedoch Place on one side and Randolph Cliff on the other, each with its own numbering sequence. Princes Street in the First New Town posed an interesting test for the system. We think of it as being only a street built on one side, but there is of course a single block built on the south side at its eastern end. This was originally individual properties and prior to 1811 these were numbered in their own series as “Princes Street South Side”. The principal, northern side of the street did not need the geographic qualifier.
The east end of Prince’s Street as shown on Kincaid’s Town Plan of 1784. Note numbers 1-5 on the south side, and 1 upwards on the north. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandThe 1811 re-numbering decided to treat the street as if it had a single side, with numbers 1-9 allocated to the south side, and the northern side numbered from 10 upwards. This arrangement was broken in 1898 when the block to the south was demolished to make way for the North British Railway Hotel (now The Balmoral), which took the number 1; numbers 2 to 9 Princes Street have therefore never existed ever since.
East End of Princes Street, as shown on Kirkwood’s Town Plan of 1819. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandIn 1826 it was reported in the local press that a wholesale renumbering of the “suburbs” has been completed, that street names had now been painted on the corners and that a move was being made to begin painting up the names of the closes of the Old Town. The considered order of this new system was not to last however. By 1826, properties on Princes Street were plagued with subdivision of the original houses into commercial premises, requiring the Town Council to approve the use of A, B, C etc. to distinguish each new door from its original number. By 1856, the Cowgate was said to be in “a most hopeless state of darkness” and in 1869 the Lawnmarket was “greatly confused and unintelligible”. However a systematic approach was never taken again, and renumbering thereafter took place on a case-by-case basis, approved by a special council committee. Exceptions and curiosities still prevail however. Summerhall Place, for instance, was re-numbered as 5 to 13 Causewayside in 1935. However the uproar this provoked in its residents caused it to be renamed back to Summerhall Place, but with the numbers in the Causewayside sequence retained: to this day the latter street still starts its numbering of odd doors at number 15.
Part 5. Street Naming and Re-Naming
Street names, even those we are most familiar with, do not always remain the same forever and some change before they are even built. An early copy of James Craig’s original printed plan of the New Town from 1767 has the streets we know now as Princes, George and Queen referred to instead as simply the South, Principal and North; the names were yet to be decided.
Copy of James Craig’s 1767 New Town Plan © City of Edinburgh CouncilA later copy of the same year, which James Craig apparently took to London, had named these streets as St. Giles Street (after the patron saint of the City), George Street (for the King, George III) and Forth Street, an unofficial innovation of Craig’s own doing, probably on account of the views it commanded towards that body of water. The magistrates of the city were unhappy with Forth Street and the King – who was shown the copy during Craig’s visit to London – was displeased with St. Giles, as he associated that name with the London district of the same name which had a reputation as a slum, hardly befitting his glorious new capital of North Britain.
A poor quality facsimile of an engraving of 1767 of Craig’s New Town Plan, showing unfamiliar street names. Thank you to Rob Ralston for helping to source this grainy copy in an 1971 paper in an obscure journal.The King’s Scottish physician – Sir John Pringle – sent a letter expressing the displeasure and making some suggestions for improvement to Lord Provost Laurie, and a new copy was made, with George Street central, flanked by Queen Street to the north, and Prince’s Street to the south for George, Prince of Wales. With the cross-streets including Hanover and Frederick (the second son), the King approved and this new trend of naming streets in the city – to the glory of the reigning dynasty – was instituted. Prior to this, nearly all the street names in the city had been functional, describing the builder, owner or principal occupant(s). . An old saying amongst Edinburgh schoolboys – to help them remember – went; “The Queen and the Prince, the Rose and the Thistle, and King George in the Middle”.
You may have noticed in these earlier maps that illustrate Princes Street that some use the form “Prince’s Street” and that others use the more familiar “Princes”. So which is it? The simple answer is both, but never Princes’ Street! The table below gives the varieties used for Princes Street and George Street from the first royally approved plans of 1767 to 1831. The matter was finally settled in 1846 for Princes Street when the GPO street directories finally abandoned the original form of Prince’s Street. That Princes Street was named for two Princes is categorically not the case, it is not a plural, it is a possessive case, it is one where the apostrophe has been lost over time; it was for Prince George and Prince George alone, his brother Prince Frederick got Frederick Street.
MapmakerYearForm of Princes Street UsedForm of George Street UsedJames Craig1767Prince’s GeorgeJohn Andrews1771 Princes GeorgeAndrew Bell1773 Princes GeorgesJohn Ainslie1780Prince’s GeorgeAlexander Kincaid1784Prince’sGeorge’sDaniel Lizars1787Prince’s GeorgeT. Brown & J. Watson1793 PrincesGeorge’sThomas Aitchison1794Prince’s GeorgeJohn Ainslie1804 Princes GeorgesRobert Scott1805 Princes GeorgeGPO1807Prince’s GeorgeRobert Kirkwood1817 Princes GeorgeThomas Brown1818 Princes GeorgesRobert Kirkwood1819 Princes GeorgeRobert Kirkwood1821Prince’s GeorgeRobert Scott1822 Princes GeorgeJohn Wood1823 Princes GeorgeJames Knox1825Prince’s GeorgeJohn Wood1831 Princes GeorgeTable showing the spelling of Princes and George Street used from 1767 to 1831 on maps of the city.Another change in the planned New Town streetnames affected the Northern explansion around 1806; the streets planned with the Latin names of Caledonia Street, Hibernia Street and Anglia Street were Anglicised to Scotland, Dublin and London Streets respectively before any shovels were in the ground. At the same time, a planned Albion Row was merged with the start of Albany Street and took the latter name.
Ainslies’ town plan of 1804 showing planned Caledonia, Hibernia, Anglia Streets and Albion Row. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandAn opposite issue to renaming a street occurred in 1803, when Mrs Maxwell of Carriden (Mary Charlotte Bouverie) complained that her house was on a street with no name! She lived at the extreme west end of the First New Town, where the as-yet unnamed street to the west of Charlotte Square met Princes Street. A disagreement with the Moray Estate over land boundaries meant that the original planned street on the west side of Charlotte Square was never built, and what had been constructed had been given no name. This was resolved by Christening this portion Hope Street, after Charles Hope of Granton, Lord Advocate and the local MP (this is the explanation given by Stuart Harris. An explanation may be that it was for Admiral Sir George Hope of Carriden, a 2nd cousin of Lord Granton). The following year we find a Miss Blair in the Post Office directory for Hope Street.
Kincaid’s Town Plan (left) of 1784, showing the never built western side of Charlotte Square (then still planned as St. George’s Square) and Ainslie’s Town Plan (right) of 1804, showing the compromised updated designs for the west side of Charlotte Square, with the southwest portion now known as Hope Street. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandAn idiosyncrasy of some Edinburgh streets is where the road has one name, but the street addresses along it have another. This is normally the result of a planned or pre-existing street being built along in a piecemeal, protracted manner. A good example of this is London Road, a planned new roadway into the city from the east formed around 1819, but where development along it took around 80 years to complete. Individual street blocks of houses were named by their landowner or builder, after themselves, family connections, royalty, battles, topography, pre-existing local names and more, with opposite sides of the same road frequently having different addresses. In its 1.4 mile Length, there are 19 different street addresses, with London Road itself being the address for relatively few premises.
1944 OS Town Plan of London Road overlaid with the street addresses of the premises along it. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of ScotlandAnother point in case is Leith Walk, a historic walking route between Edinburgh and its port that was only very gradually developed into a carriageway and built along. From the very top (the south or Edinburgh end) of “the Walk” – beginning at current Picardy Place, the facing “pairs” of places on opposite sides of the road went Union Place / Greenside Place; Antigua Street / Baxters Place; Gayfield Place & Haddington Place / Elm Row; Croall Place / Brunswick Place; Albert Place / Shrub Place; George Place / Crichton Place. At this point we reach the Leith and Edinburgh boundary at Pilrig Street.
The Leith end of Leith Walk, Pilrig Street north (down) towards the Foot of the Walk. From Old & New Edinburgh by James Grant.Continuing down into Leith, the historic addresses went Fyfe Place; Kings Place; Orchardfield / Heriot Buildings; Springfield; Ronaldson’s Buildings; Stead’s Place / Anderson Place; Allison’s Place; Whitfield’s Place / Macneill’s Place; Cassell’s Place / Queen’s Place. In 1933, the council street naming committee made a proposal to merge Leith Walk and Leith Street into a continuous numbering sequence and to remove all the older intermediate addresses. Options included calling the whole length simply “Leith Walk”; splitting it into a “Leith Walk South” and “Leith Walk North”; extending Leith Street north to London Road, with everything north of that being Leith Walk. This proposal was never taken forward, and it is only on the Leith half of Leith Walk (i.e. north of Pilrig Street) where the houses are named and numbered as Leith Walk. On the Edinburgh side, the traditional names remains to this day, even though the roadway itself is formally called Leith Walk.
Street renaming generally took place on a case-by-case basis, usually to remove a duplicate name. An exception was a wholesale renaming and de-duplication exercise undertaken in a systematic way between 1965-69 upon the introduction of Post Codes for sending mail. This caused an issue where the traditional use of the old post towns or burghs to disambiguate between streets in the formerly separate burghs of Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello was superseded by simply using “Edinburgh” and the post code. At least 56 streets were renamed in this period, with the general practice being that the Edinburgh name was kept and any duplicates in Leith or Portobello (or both!) were renamed. This resulted in 15 old Leith street names and 8 in Portobello being lost and changed. There were exceptions however, and 5 Edinburgh names were changed where they conflicted with Leith, 4 Leith names were changed where they conflicted with Portobello and 3 Portobello names were changed where they conflicted with Leith.
Amongst others, Edinburgh lost its Pitt Street (to Dundas Street), Duke Street (to Dublin Street), Chapel Lane (to Cathedral Lane), Mitchell Street (to Peffer Place). Leith lost its George Street (to North Fort Street), Queen Street (to Shore Place), Albany Street (to Portland Street), Bank Street (to Seaport Street). Portobello lost its Hope Street (to Rosefield Street), Ramsay Lane (to Beach Lane), Melville Street (to Bellfield Street), Pitt Street (to Pittville Street). The village of Newhaven lost its St. Andrew’s Square (to Fishmarket Square) to avoid confusion with St. Andrew Square in Edinburgh, and it lost its Parliament Square (to Great Michael Square) for the same reason. Across the city as a whole, multiple streets with “Church” or “Hope” in their name were also altered to avoid potential duplicates or ambiguity.
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The Broken Mesh: Why the Fight Between Meshtastic and MeshCore Matters
2,734 words, 14 minutes read time.
The fracture between the Meshtastic and MeshCore projects is a warning that you cannot ignore. For years, people thought a simple, off-grid data net was the answer for when the main lines go down. But now, the community is divided. This is not just a small fight over code. It is a total disagreement on how to handle communication when things get ugly. If you think you are ready just because you bought a cheap radio board and did not bother to learn how the software actually works, you are just a hobbyist playing with toys. The rift between Meshtastic and MeshCore shows how fragile these systems are and why you need to know your gear inside and out. A mesh net is only as good as its weakest link. If you do not master the tech, you are just a dead node in a silent town. We are seeing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must choose your tools based on the reality of the physics, not the popularity of the app. Demand that your firmware be an efficient tool for data transmission, not a bloated social media platform for the 915 MHz band. If you do not take the time to understand the modulation, the packet structure, and the routing logic of the software you flash onto your hardware, you are just a child playing with a walkie-talkie while the grown-ups are trying to build a grid. Mastery of the radio spectrum is not an option; it is a requirement for anyone who claims to be prepared. This split is the first real test of whether civilian mesh can survive the chaos of its own success. You either learn to navigate the airwaves or you signal your own failure. Every packet you send without understanding the cost is a round wasted in a firefight. Stop treating your emergency comms like a smartphone app and start treating it like the life-support system it is. This technical mastery is the difference between a working link and a radio that does nothing but drain your battery in the dark.
Troubleshooting LoRa Mesh Protocol Inefficiency and Network Congestion
The fight between Meshtastic and MeshCore comes down to how they use the radio waves and the small chips that run them. Meshtastic has been the big name for a long time. It uses a flooding method where every radio repeats every message it hears. In the woods, that is fine. In a city with a hundred users, it is a train wreck. The air gets crowded, messages hit each other, and the whole system jams itself. MeshCore did not start because people wanted a new app. It started because the old way is inefficient. The core of the split is about the overhead—the extra data that hitches a ride on every message. Meshtastic adds a lot of features, but those features take up space. MeshCore wants to strip everything down to the bone so the network stays stable. When you have very little room to send data, every extra bit is a mistake. This is a battle between lots of features and it just has to work. If your software is fighting your hardware, you lose. The divergence between Meshtastic and MeshCore is rooted in the physics of the 900 MHz ISM band and the limitations of the ESP32 and nRF52 chipsets. As the node count grows, the airwaves become a chaotic mess of collisions and retransmissions, effectively jamming the very frequency the operators are trying to utilize. While Meshtastic has focused on a feature-rich user experience with a heavy reliance on a specific structure, MeshCore proponents argue for a leaner, more modular approach that prioritizes the stability of the underlying mesh over the bells and whistles of the interface. When you are operating on a low-bandwidth, high-latency medium like LoRa, every byte of overhead is a liability. You either master the protocol or you become a dead node. The math does not lie even if the marketing does. If your network protocol consumes more than ten percent of your bandwidth for heartbeats, your network is dying. Every extra feature in the code is another potential point of failure when the signal gets weak. You have to decide if you want a chat app or a survival tool. The flooding algorithm used by Meshtastic is a blunt instrument that was never meant for high-density urban deployment. It works by simply re-broadcasting every unique packet received until a hop limit is reached. In a sparse environment, this ensures the message gets through by any means necessary. But as the number of nodes increases, the probability of two nodes transmitting at the same time goes up. This leads to packet collisions where neither message is readable. MeshCore attempts to solve this by moving toward a more structured routing system. This means the software tries to figure out the best path for a message instead of just yelling it to everyone. This shift requires a level of technical discipline that many casual users find frustrating. It means the network is less plug-and-play and more of a precision tool. If you want a network that survives a real crisis, you have to move away from the chaos of flooding. You have to understand how the Media Access Control layer handles traffic. You have to know how to set your timing parameters so you are not stepping on your own neighbors. The split is a clear line in the sand between those who want ease of use and those who want engineering reliability. You cannot hide from the physics of the airwaves. Either your packets move or they die in the dirt. Stop assuming the software will fix your bad placement. Fix the engineering or get off the air.
Physics of LoRa Packet Collisions and Signal to Noise Ratio Analysis
To understand this split, you have to look at how these radios actually talk. They use a low-power system called LoRa. It is built for long range, but it is slow. There are strict rules on how long you can broadcast before you have to shut up and let others speak. Because Meshtastic repeats everything, adding more people makes the problem worse fast. This is not a glitch. It is physics. MeshCore was built to change how messages find their path through the net. Instead of everyone yelling at once, it wants a smarter way to move data that does not waste airtime. The split happened because one group likes the safety of repeating everything, while the other wants a clean, quiet network. If your radio is spending eighty percent of its power just saying I am here, you are not communicating—you are just making noise. The split proves that the current path is heading for a crash where no one can get a message through. LoRa is designed for long-range, low-power communication, but it is inherently limited by the Duty Cycle regulations of the FCC Part 15 and similar international bodies. Meshtastic’s current implementation of the flooding protocol means that as you add more users, the probability of packet storms increases exponentially. MeshCore was conceptualized to address the need for a more rigid, perhaps even more disciplined, routing logic that could potentially mitigate the hidden node problem and reduce the airtime usage per packet. The technical fallout between the two development paths stems from a disagreement on how to manage the limited airtime of the ISM band. One camp believes in the resilience of redundant flooding, while the other seeks a more surgical, routed approach to data delivery. This is a matter of Spectral Efficiency. If your mesh is using the majority of its available airtime just to say it exists, you have failed as an operator and an engineer. You are polluting the spectrum with digital noise. This noise prevents emergency traffic from getting through. It creates a false sense of security where people think they have a working link when they actually have a jammed one. You must look at the duty cycle of your own node. If you are transmitting more than one percent of the time in the 900 MHz band, you are likely part of the problem. MeshCore is an attempt to force the network into a more responsible state. It prioritizes the survival of the link over the convenience of the user. This is a hard truth that many do not want to hear. Physics does not care about your feelings or your user interface. It only cares about the signal-to-noise ratio. If your signal is lost in the noise of your own network, you have built nothing but a very expensive paperweight. Every packet sent is a risk. In a real-world scenario, a long transmission can be used to find your location. Flooding makes this risk much higher because your message is repeated over and over by every node in the area. A routed system like what MeshCore aims for reduces this risk by limiting the number of times a message is sent. This is not just about efficiency; it is about security. You have to understand that the airwaves are a shared resource. If you treat them like your own personal garbage dump, you will find yourself alone and unheard when the time comes to actually send a call for help. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a debate over the very future of private, off-grid data. One side wants to make it accessible to everyone, while the other wants to make it work when nothing else does. You have to decide which side of that line you stand on. If you are not monitoring your packet loss and your noise floor, you are not an operator. You are just a passenger in a system that is bound to fail. Stop looking at the colorful screens and start looking at the spectrum. The truth is in the waterfall, not the icons. The physics of 915 MHz demand respect that a plug and play mindset cannot provide.
Off-Grid Communication Solutions and Technical Radio Discipline
The result of this fight is a mess where gear running one software will not talk to gear running the other. For you, that means your radio is a brick if your neighbor is on the other side of the fence. This is how a mesh net dies. A mesh needs everyone to speak the same language. When the builders split, the network breaks. This should wake up anyone who thinks they can just download a file and be safe. The hard truth is that we are seeing a new tech grow too fast for the people using it. You have to pick your tools based on facts, not what looks cool. Demand software that moves data fast and clean. If you do not know how your radio sends a packet or why some settings work better than others, you have no business relying on this in a pinch. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of radio, there are no shortcuts. For the operator in the field, this means your gear might be useless if the person three blocks away is running a different branch of the protocol. This is the death of a mesh. A mesh requires a common language, a shared set of timing parameters, and a unified understanding of frequency hopping and spreading factors. When the developers split, the network breaks. This should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they can outsource their emergency communications to a GitHub repository they do not understand. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of RF, there are no shortcuts. If you cannot explain the difference between a Spreading Factor of seven and twelve, or why a 125kHz bandwidth is preferable over 250kHz in a high-noise environment, you have no business relying on these tools. The hard truth is that we are witnessing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must take personal responsibility for your station. This means testing your range with real-world obstacles. It means understanding how your antenna height and gain affect your local mesh. It means being able to re-flash your firmware in the dark while the rain is pouring down. If you cannot do these things, you are not prepared. You are just a collector of electronic gadgets. The discipline of the amateur radio spirit must be applied to these new digital modes. We are losing the technical edge that made the license worth having in the first place. The split is a chance to reset. It is a chance to move away from the appliance operator mindset and back toward the engineering mindset. You should be auditing your own mesh. Look at the traffic logs. See how many packets are being dropped. See how many of your traffic is just node discovery overhead. If you find that your network is inefficient, do not wait for a developer to fix it. Change your settings. Educate your neighbors. If the split leads to a better, more efficient protocol, then it was worth the friction. But if it just leads to two broken networks instead of one, then we have all lost. The practical application of this knowledge is simple: test everything. Do not assume your mesh will work because the light on the board is green. Prove it. Send data over the longest possible path. Monitor the battery drain. Watch the spectrum on an analyzer if you have one. If you do not have the tools to verify your network, you do not have a network. You have a hope. And hope is not a plan for communication. Secure your nodes, harden your protocol, and stop relying on software you have never bothered to read. The day is coming when the only thing between you and the void is the connection you built yourself. Don’t let it be a connection built on laziness. Clean up your messy node or accept that you will be silent when it matters.
Conclusion: The Future of Decentralized Mesh Networks and User Mastery
The discipline of the old-school radio operator has to be applied here or the whole thing will fail. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a call to stop being a lazy user and start being a real operator. We do not have time for good enough when the grid is down. Check your gear, learn the rules of the airwaves, and be ready for a future where the channels are full and the software is broken. Build your setup expecting things to break. There is no room for being soft. Learn the math, understand your range, and make sure every message you send is worth the airtime. The grid is weak, the airwaves are crowded, and your own lack of knowledge is the only thing truly blocking your signal. Fix your gear, learn the system, and stop waiting for someone else to save you. The grid is fragile, the spectrum is finite, and your ignorance is the only thing standing between you and a total blackout. Fix your station, fix your protocol, and stop waiting for someone else to secure your link. The time for playing games with digital toys is over. Mastery is the only way forward. Master the code, master the RF, or stay off the air. This hobby demands engineers, not appliance operators. Be the asset the network needs, not the QRM that kills it. Finalize your build, test the link, and maintain the discipline required to keep the airwaves open for those who truly need them.
Call to Action
Join the Network and Master Your Comms Before the Grid Goes Dark. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a wake-up call for every operator. You cannot afford to be a passive user when the lines of communication are at stake. Whether you choose the feature-rich path or the lean efficiency of the core, the responsibility for a working link lies with you. Don’t wait for a crisis to realize your nodes are misconfigured or your protocol is inefficient. Start auditing your setup today by getting out in the field to find your real-world limits, diving into the spreading factors to clear the noise, and educating your local mesh to ensure your neighborhood stays connected. The airwaves belong to those who master them. Secure your hardware, flash your firmware, and become a reliable node in the decentralized future. Join the conversation, build the grid, and stay off the silent list.
SUPPORTSUBSCRIBECONTACT MED. Bryan King
Sources
- FCC Part 15 Radio Frequency Devices – Federal Communications Commission
- SX1262 LoRa Transceiver Datasheet – Semtech
- Meshtastic Project Documentation – Meshtastic
- A Study of LoRa: Long Range and Low Power Networks for the Internet of Things – IEEE
- The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications – ARRL
- Guide to Bluetooth Security (RF Protocol Standards) – NIST
- LoRaWAN 1.1 Specification – LoRa Alliance
- Do LoRa Low-Power Wide-Area Networks Scale? – IEEE
- ESP32 Series Datasheet – Espressif Systems
- nRF52840 Product Specification – Nordic Semiconductor
- Terminology for Constrained-Node Networks – IETF
- ITU Handbook on Land Mobile Communications – International Telecommunication Union
- Protocol Buffers Documentation – Google Developers
- Understanding the Basics of LoRa and LoRaWAN – DigiKey
- LoRa Technology: A Technical Overview – NXP Semiconductors
- LoRaWAN Documentation – The Things Network
- Guide to Bluetooth Security – NIST Special Publication
- LoRa Physical Layer Packet Structure – RF Wireless World
- LoRa Wireless Technology – Microchip Technology
- Understanding and Enhancing RF Link Budget – Analog Devices
- LoRaWAN Technology Overview – STMicroelectronics
- Analysis of the Capacity and Scalability of LoRaWAN – ResearchGate
- Fundamentals of the LoRa Physical Layer – EDN Network
- What is LoRa Technology? – everything RF
- Link Budget Basics – Microwaves101
- LoRa Long Range Technology Overview – Texas Instruments
- Scalability of LoRaWAN for Massive IoT Deployment – MDPI Sensors
- Detailed Study of LoRa Low Power Communications – PMC
- 11 Myths About LoRa and LoRaWAN – Electronic Design
- LoRa Modulation Basics – Microwave Journal
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.
Related Posts
Rate this:
#915MHz #airtimeOptimization #AmateurRadio #antennaGain #bandwidthManagement #communicationSecurity #communityMesh #constrainedNodes #dataTransmission #DecentralizedNetworks #digitalModes #DisasterRecovery #dutyCycle #emergencyComms #ESP32 #FCCPart15 #firmwareFlashing #floodingProtocol #gridDownComms #hiddenNodeProblem #IoTScalability #ISMBand #linkBudget #LoRa #LoRaWAN #meshNetworking #MeshCore #Meshtastic #networkCongestion #nodeDensity #nRF52840 #offGridCommunication #packetCollisions #packetLoss #protocolOverhead #radioDiscipline #radioFrequency #RFEngineering #RFInterference #routingLogic #signalPropagation #SignalToNoiseRatio #SNR #spectralEfficiency #spreadingFactor #survivalTech #SX1262 #TacticalComms #wirelessProtocols -
The Broken Mesh: Why the Fight Between Meshtastic and MeshCore Matters
2,734 words, 14 minutes read time.
The fracture between the Meshtastic and MeshCore projects is a warning that you cannot ignore. For years, people thought a simple, off-grid data net was the answer for when the main lines go down. But now, the community is divided. This is not just a small fight over code. It is a total disagreement on how to handle communication when things get ugly. If you think you are ready just because you bought a cheap radio board and did not bother to learn how the software actually works, you are just a hobbyist playing with toys. The rift between Meshtastic and MeshCore shows how fragile these systems are and why you need to know your gear inside and out. A mesh net is only as good as its weakest link. If you do not master the tech, you are just a dead node in a silent town. We are seeing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must choose your tools based on the reality of the physics, not the popularity of the app. Demand that your firmware be an efficient tool for data transmission, not a bloated social media platform for the 915 MHz band. If you do not take the time to understand the modulation, the packet structure, and the routing logic of the software you flash onto your hardware, you are just a child playing with a walkie-talkie while the grown-ups are trying to build a grid. Mastery of the radio spectrum is not an option; it is a requirement for anyone who claims to be prepared. This split is the first real test of whether civilian mesh can survive the chaos of its own success. You either learn to navigate the airwaves or you signal your own failure. Every packet you send without understanding the cost is a round wasted in a firefight. Stop treating your emergency comms like a smartphone app and start treating it like the life-support system it is. This technical mastery is the difference between a working link and a radio that does nothing but drain your battery in the dark.
Troubleshooting LoRa Mesh Protocol Inefficiency and Network Congestion
The fight between Meshtastic and MeshCore comes down to how they use the radio waves and the small chips that run them. Meshtastic has been the big name for a long time. It uses a flooding method where every radio repeats every message it hears. In the woods, that is fine. In a city with a hundred users, it is a train wreck. The air gets crowded, messages hit each other, and the whole system jams itself. MeshCore did not start because people wanted a new app. It started because the old way is inefficient. The core of the split is about the overhead—the extra data that hitches a ride on every message. Meshtastic adds a lot of features, but those features take up space. MeshCore wants to strip everything down to the bone so the network stays stable. When you have very little room to send data, every extra bit is a mistake. This is a battle between lots of features and it just has to work. If your software is fighting your hardware, you lose. The divergence between Meshtastic and MeshCore is rooted in the physics of the 900 MHz ISM band and the limitations of the ESP32 and nRF52 chipsets. As the node count grows, the airwaves become a chaotic mess of collisions and retransmissions, effectively jamming the very frequency the operators are trying to utilize. While Meshtastic has focused on a feature-rich user experience with a heavy reliance on a specific structure, MeshCore proponents argue for a leaner, more modular approach that prioritizes the stability of the underlying mesh over the bells and whistles of the interface. When you are operating on a low-bandwidth, high-latency medium like LoRa, every byte of overhead is a liability. You either master the protocol or you become a dead node. The math does not lie even if the marketing does. If your network protocol consumes more than ten percent of your bandwidth for heartbeats, your network is dying. Every extra feature in the code is another potential point of failure when the signal gets weak. You have to decide if you want a chat app or a survival tool. The flooding algorithm used by Meshtastic is a blunt instrument that was never meant for high-density urban deployment. It works by simply re-broadcasting every unique packet received until a hop limit is reached. In a sparse environment, this ensures the message gets through by any means necessary. But as the number of nodes increases, the probability of two nodes transmitting at the same time goes up. This leads to packet collisions where neither message is readable. MeshCore attempts to solve this by moving toward a more structured routing system. This means the software tries to figure out the best path for a message instead of just yelling it to everyone. This shift requires a level of technical discipline that many casual users find frustrating. It means the network is less plug-and-play and more of a precision tool. If you want a network that survives a real crisis, you have to move away from the chaos of flooding. You have to understand how the Media Access Control layer handles traffic. You have to know how to set your timing parameters so you are not stepping on your own neighbors. The split is a clear line in the sand between those who want ease of use and those who want engineering reliability. You cannot hide from the physics of the airwaves. Either your packets move or they die in the dirt. Stop assuming the software will fix your bad placement. Fix the engineering or get off the air.
Physics of LoRa Packet Collisions and Signal to Noise Ratio Analysis
To understand this split, you have to look at how these radios actually talk. They use a low-power system called LoRa. It is built for long range, but it is slow. There are strict rules on how long you can broadcast before you have to shut up and let others speak. Because Meshtastic repeats everything, adding more people makes the problem worse fast. This is not a glitch. It is physics. MeshCore was built to change how messages find their path through the net. Instead of everyone yelling at once, it wants a smarter way to move data that does not waste airtime. The split happened because one group likes the safety of repeating everything, while the other wants a clean, quiet network. If your radio is spending eighty percent of its power just saying I am here, you are not communicating—you are just making noise. The split proves that the current path is heading for a crash where no one can get a message through. LoRa is designed for long-range, low-power communication, but it is inherently limited by the Duty Cycle regulations of the FCC Part 15 and similar international bodies. Meshtastic’s current implementation of the flooding protocol means that as you add more users, the probability of packet storms increases exponentially. MeshCore was conceptualized to address the need for a more rigid, perhaps even more disciplined, routing logic that could potentially mitigate the hidden node problem and reduce the airtime usage per packet. The technical fallout between the two development paths stems from a disagreement on how to manage the limited airtime of the ISM band. One camp believes in the resilience of redundant flooding, while the other seeks a more surgical, routed approach to data delivery. This is a matter of Spectral Efficiency. If your mesh is using the majority of its available airtime just to say it exists, you have failed as an operator and an engineer. You are polluting the spectrum with digital noise. This noise prevents emergency traffic from getting through. It creates a false sense of security where people think they have a working link when they actually have a jammed one. You must look at the duty cycle of your own node. If you are transmitting more than one percent of the time in the 900 MHz band, you are likely part of the problem. MeshCore is an attempt to force the network into a more responsible state. It prioritizes the survival of the link over the convenience of the user. This is a hard truth that many do not want to hear. Physics does not care about your feelings or your user interface. It only cares about the signal-to-noise ratio. If your signal is lost in the noise of your own network, you have built nothing but a very expensive paperweight. Every packet sent is a risk. In a real-world scenario, a long transmission can be used to find your location. Flooding makes this risk much higher because your message is repeated over and over by every node in the area. A routed system like what MeshCore aims for reduces this risk by limiting the number of times a message is sent. This is not just about efficiency; it is about security. You have to understand that the airwaves are a shared resource. If you treat them like your own personal garbage dump, you will find yourself alone and unheard when the time comes to actually send a call for help. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a debate over the very future of private, off-grid data. One side wants to make it accessible to everyone, while the other wants to make it work when nothing else does. You have to decide which side of that line you stand on. If you are not monitoring your packet loss and your noise floor, you are not an operator. You are just a passenger in a system that is bound to fail. Stop looking at the colorful screens and start looking at the spectrum. The truth is in the waterfall, not the icons. The physics of 915 MHz demand respect that a plug and play mindset cannot provide.
Off-Grid Communication Solutions and Technical Radio Discipline
The result of this fight is a mess where gear running one software will not talk to gear running the other. For you, that means your radio is a brick if your neighbor is on the other side of the fence. This is how a mesh net dies. A mesh needs everyone to speak the same language. When the builders split, the network breaks. This should wake up anyone who thinks they can just download a file and be safe. The hard truth is that we are seeing a new tech grow too fast for the people using it. You have to pick your tools based on facts, not what looks cool. Demand software that moves data fast and clean. If you do not know how your radio sends a packet or why some settings work better than others, you have no business relying on this in a pinch. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of radio, there are no shortcuts. For the operator in the field, this means your gear might be useless if the person three blocks away is running a different branch of the protocol. This is the death of a mesh. A mesh requires a common language, a shared set of timing parameters, and a unified understanding of frequency hopping and spreading factors. When the developers split, the network breaks. This should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they can outsource their emergency communications to a GitHub repository they do not understand. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of RF, there are no shortcuts. If you cannot explain the difference between a Spreading Factor of seven and twelve, or why a 125kHz bandwidth is preferable over 250kHz in a high-noise environment, you have no business relying on these tools. The hard truth is that we are witnessing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must take personal responsibility for your station. This means testing your range with real-world obstacles. It means understanding how your antenna height and gain affect your local mesh. It means being able to re-flash your firmware in the dark while the rain is pouring down. If you cannot do these things, you are not prepared. You are just a collector of electronic gadgets. The discipline of the amateur radio spirit must be applied to these new digital modes. We are losing the technical edge that made the license worth having in the first place. The split is a chance to reset. It is a chance to move away from the appliance operator mindset and back toward the engineering mindset. You should be auditing your own mesh. Look at the traffic logs. See how many packets are being dropped. See how many of your traffic is just node discovery overhead. If you find that your network is inefficient, do not wait for a developer to fix it. Change your settings. Educate your neighbors. If the split leads to a better, more efficient protocol, then it was worth the friction. But if it just leads to two broken networks instead of one, then we have all lost. The practical application of this knowledge is simple: test everything. Do not assume your mesh will work because the light on the board is green. Prove it. Send data over the longest possible path. Monitor the battery drain. Watch the spectrum on an analyzer if you have one. If you do not have the tools to verify your network, you do not have a network. You have a hope. And hope is not a plan for communication. Secure your nodes, harden your protocol, and stop relying on software you have never bothered to read. The day is coming when the only thing between you and the void is the connection you built yourself. Don’t let it be a connection built on laziness. Clean up your messy node or accept that you will be silent when it matters.
Conclusion: The Future of Decentralized Mesh Networks and User Mastery
The discipline of the old-school radio operator has to be applied here or the whole thing will fail. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a call to stop being a lazy user and start being a real operator. We do not have time for good enough when the grid is down. Check your gear, learn the rules of the airwaves, and be ready for a future where the channels are full and the software is broken. Build your setup expecting things to break. There is no room for being soft. Learn the math, understand your range, and make sure every message you send is worth the airtime. The grid is weak, the airwaves are crowded, and your own lack of knowledge is the only thing truly blocking your signal. Fix your gear, learn the system, and stop waiting for someone else to save you. The grid is fragile, the spectrum is finite, and your ignorance is the only thing standing between you and a total blackout. Fix your station, fix your protocol, and stop waiting for someone else to secure your link. The time for playing games with digital toys is over. Mastery is the only way forward. Master the code, master the RF, or stay off the air. This hobby demands engineers, not appliance operators. Be the asset the network needs, not the QRM that kills it. Finalize your build, test the link, and maintain the discipline required to keep the airwaves open for those who truly need them.
Call to Action
Join the Network and Master Your Comms Before the Grid Goes Dark. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a wake-up call for every operator. You cannot afford to be a passive user when the lines of communication are at stake. Whether you choose the feature-rich path or the lean efficiency of the core, the responsibility for a working link lies with you. Don’t wait for a crisis to realize your nodes are misconfigured or your protocol is inefficient. Start auditing your setup today by getting out in the field to find your real-world limits, diving into the spreading factors to clear the noise, and educating your local mesh to ensure your neighborhood stays connected. The airwaves belong to those who master them. Secure your hardware, flash your firmware, and become a reliable node in the decentralized future. Join the conversation, build the grid, and stay off the silent list.
SUPPORTSUBSCRIBECONTACT MED. Bryan King
Sources
- FCC Part 15 Radio Frequency Devices – Federal Communications Commission
- SX1262 LoRa Transceiver Datasheet – Semtech
- Meshtastic Project Documentation – Meshtastic
- A Study of LoRa: Long Range and Low Power Networks for the Internet of Things – IEEE
- The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications – ARRL
- Guide to Bluetooth Security (RF Protocol Standards) – NIST
- LoRaWAN 1.1 Specification – LoRa Alliance
- Do LoRa Low-Power Wide-Area Networks Scale? – IEEE
- ESP32 Series Datasheet – Espressif Systems
- nRF52840 Product Specification – Nordic Semiconductor
- Terminology for Constrained-Node Networks – IETF
- ITU Handbook on Land Mobile Communications – International Telecommunication Union
- Protocol Buffers Documentation – Google Developers
- Understanding the Basics of LoRa and LoRaWAN – DigiKey
- LoRa Technology: A Technical Overview – NXP Semiconductors
- LoRaWAN Documentation – The Things Network
- Guide to Bluetooth Security – NIST Special Publication
- LoRa Physical Layer Packet Structure – RF Wireless World
- LoRa Wireless Technology – Microchip Technology
- Understanding and Enhancing RF Link Budget – Analog Devices
- LoRaWAN Technology Overview – STMicroelectronics
- Analysis of the Capacity and Scalability of LoRaWAN – ResearchGate
- Fundamentals of the LoRa Physical Layer – EDN Network
- What is LoRa Technology? – everything RF
- Link Budget Basics – Microwaves101
- LoRa Long Range Technology Overview – Texas Instruments
- Scalability of LoRaWAN for Massive IoT Deployment – MDPI Sensors
- Detailed Study of LoRa Low Power Communications – PMC
- 11 Myths About LoRa and LoRaWAN – Electronic Design
- LoRa Modulation Basics – Microwave Journal
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.
Related Posts
Rate this:
#915MHz #airtimeOptimization #AmateurRadio #antennaGain #bandwidthManagement #communicationSecurity #communityMesh #constrainedNodes #dataTransmission #DecentralizedNetworks #digitalModes #DisasterRecovery #dutyCycle #emergencyComms #ESP32 #FCCPart15 #firmwareFlashing #floodingProtocol #gridDownComms #hiddenNodeProblem #IoTScalability #ISMBand #linkBudget #LoRa #LoRaWAN #meshNetworking #MeshCore #Meshtastic #networkCongestion #nodeDensity #nRF52840 #offGridCommunication #packetCollisions #packetLoss #protocolOverhead #radioDiscipline #radioFrequency #RFEngineering #RFInterference #routingLogic #signalPropagation #SignalToNoiseRatio #SNR #spectralEfficiency #spreadingFactor #survivalTech #SX1262 #TacticalComms #wirelessProtocols -
The Broken Mesh: Why the Fight Between Meshtastic and MeshCore Matters
2,734 words, 14 minutes read time.
The fracture between the Meshtastic and MeshCore projects is a warning that you cannot ignore. For years, people thought a simple, off-grid data net was the answer for when the main lines go down. But now, the community is divided. This is not just a small fight over code. It is a total disagreement on how to handle communication when things get ugly. If you think you are ready just because you bought a cheap radio board and did not bother to learn how the software actually works, you are just a hobbyist playing with toys. The rift between Meshtastic and MeshCore shows how fragile these systems are and why you need to know your gear inside and out. A mesh net is only as good as its weakest link. If you do not master the tech, you are just a dead node in a silent town. We are seeing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must choose your tools based on the reality of the physics, not the popularity of the app. Demand that your firmware be an efficient tool for data transmission, not a bloated social media platform for the 915 MHz band. If you do not take the time to understand the modulation, the packet structure, and the routing logic of the software you flash onto your hardware, you are just a child playing with a walkie-talkie while the grown-ups are trying to build a grid. Mastery of the radio spectrum is not an option; it is a requirement for anyone who claims to be prepared. This split is the first real test of whether civilian mesh can survive the chaos of its own success. You either learn to navigate the airwaves or you signal your own failure. Every packet you send without understanding the cost is a round wasted in a firefight. Stop treating your emergency comms like a smartphone app and start treating it like the life-support system it is. This technical mastery is the difference between a working link and a radio that does nothing but drain your battery in the dark.
Troubleshooting LoRa Mesh Protocol Inefficiency and Network Congestion
The fight between Meshtastic and MeshCore comes down to how they use the radio waves and the small chips that run them. Meshtastic has been the big name for a long time. It uses a flooding method where every radio repeats every message it hears. In the woods, that is fine. In a city with a hundred users, it is a train wreck. The air gets crowded, messages hit each other, and the whole system jams itself. MeshCore did not start because people wanted a new app. It started because the old way is inefficient. The core of the split is about the overhead—the extra data that hitches a ride on every message. Meshtastic adds a lot of features, but those features take up space. MeshCore wants to strip everything down to the bone so the network stays stable. When you have very little room to send data, every extra bit is a mistake. This is a battle between lots of features and it just has to work. If your software is fighting your hardware, you lose. The divergence between Meshtastic and MeshCore is rooted in the physics of the 900 MHz ISM band and the limitations of the ESP32 and nRF52 chipsets. As the node count grows, the airwaves become a chaotic mess of collisions and retransmissions, effectively jamming the very frequency the operators are trying to utilize. While Meshtastic has focused on a feature-rich user experience with a heavy reliance on a specific structure, MeshCore proponents argue for a leaner, more modular approach that prioritizes the stability of the underlying mesh over the bells and whistles of the interface. When you are operating on a low-bandwidth, high-latency medium like LoRa, every byte of overhead is a liability. You either master the protocol or you become a dead node. The math does not lie even if the marketing does. If your network protocol consumes more than ten percent of your bandwidth for heartbeats, your network is dying. Every extra feature in the code is another potential point of failure when the signal gets weak. You have to decide if you want a chat app or a survival tool. The flooding algorithm used by Meshtastic is a blunt instrument that was never meant for high-density urban deployment. It works by simply re-broadcasting every unique packet received until a hop limit is reached. In a sparse environment, this ensures the message gets through by any means necessary. But as the number of nodes increases, the probability of two nodes transmitting at the same time goes up. This leads to packet collisions where neither message is readable. MeshCore attempts to solve this by moving toward a more structured routing system. This means the software tries to figure out the best path for a message instead of just yelling it to everyone. This shift requires a level of technical discipline that many casual users find frustrating. It means the network is less plug-and-play and more of a precision tool. If you want a network that survives a real crisis, you have to move away from the chaos of flooding. You have to understand how the Media Access Control layer handles traffic. You have to know how to set your timing parameters so you are not stepping on your own neighbors. The split is a clear line in the sand between those who want ease of use and those who want engineering reliability. You cannot hide from the physics of the airwaves. Either your packets move or they die in the dirt. Stop assuming the software will fix your bad placement. Fix the engineering or get off the air.
Physics of LoRa Packet Collisions and Signal to Noise Ratio Analysis
To understand this split, you have to look at how these radios actually talk. They use a low-power system called LoRa. It is built for long range, but it is slow. There are strict rules on how long you can broadcast before you have to shut up and let others speak. Because Meshtastic repeats everything, adding more people makes the problem worse fast. This is not a glitch. It is physics. MeshCore was built to change how messages find their path through the net. Instead of everyone yelling at once, it wants a smarter way to move data that does not waste airtime. The split happened because one group likes the safety of repeating everything, while the other wants a clean, quiet network. If your radio is spending eighty percent of its power just saying I am here, you are not communicating—you are just making noise. The split proves that the current path is heading for a crash where no one can get a message through. LoRa is designed for long-range, low-power communication, but it is inherently limited by the Duty Cycle regulations of the FCC Part 15 and similar international bodies. Meshtastic’s current implementation of the flooding protocol means that as you add more users, the probability of packet storms increases exponentially. MeshCore was conceptualized to address the need for a more rigid, perhaps even more disciplined, routing logic that could potentially mitigate the hidden node problem and reduce the airtime usage per packet. The technical fallout between the two development paths stems from a disagreement on how to manage the limited airtime of the ISM band. One camp believes in the resilience of redundant flooding, while the other seeks a more surgical, routed approach to data delivery. This is a matter of Spectral Efficiency. If your mesh is using the majority of its available airtime just to say it exists, you have failed as an operator and an engineer. You are polluting the spectrum with digital noise. This noise prevents emergency traffic from getting through. It creates a false sense of security where people think they have a working link when they actually have a jammed one. You must look at the duty cycle of your own node. If you are transmitting more than one percent of the time in the 900 MHz band, you are likely part of the problem. MeshCore is an attempt to force the network into a more responsible state. It prioritizes the survival of the link over the convenience of the user. This is a hard truth that many do not want to hear. Physics does not care about your feelings or your user interface. It only cares about the signal-to-noise ratio. If your signal is lost in the noise of your own network, you have built nothing but a very expensive paperweight. Every packet sent is a risk. In a real-world scenario, a long transmission can be used to find your location. Flooding makes this risk much higher because your message is repeated over and over by every node in the area. A routed system like what MeshCore aims for reduces this risk by limiting the number of times a message is sent. This is not just about efficiency; it is about security. You have to understand that the airwaves are a shared resource. If you treat them like your own personal garbage dump, you will find yourself alone and unheard when the time comes to actually send a call for help. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a debate over the very future of private, off-grid data. One side wants to make it accessible to everyone, while the other wants to make it work when nothing else does. You have to decide which side of that line you stand on. If you are not monitoring your packet loss and your noise floor, you are not an operator. You are just a passenger in a system that is bound to fail. Stop looking at the colorful screens and start looking at the spectrum. The truth is in the waterfall, not the icons. The physics of 915 MHz demand respect that a plug and play mindset cannot provide.
Off-Grid Communication Solutions and Technical Radio Discipline
The result of this fight is a mess where gear running one software will not talk to gear running the other. For you, that means your radio is a brick if your neighbor is on the other side of the fence. This is how a mesh net dies. A mesh needs everyone to speak the same language. When the builders split, the network breaks. This should wake up anyone who thinks they can just download a file and be safe. The hard truth is that we are seeing a new tech grow too fast for the people using it. You have to pick your tools based on facts, not what looks cool. Demand software that moves data fast and clean. If you do not know how your radio sends a packet or why some settings work better than others, you have no business relying on this in a pinch. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of radio, there are no shortcuts. For the operator in the field, this means your gear might be useless if the person three blocks away is running a different branch of the protocol. This is the death of a mesh. A mesh requires a common language, a shared set of timing parameters, and a unified understanding of frequency hopping and spreading factors. When the developers split, the network breaks. This should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they can outsource their emergency communications to a GitHub repository they do not understand. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of RF, there are no shortcuts. If you cannot explain the difference between a Spreading Factor of seven and twelve, or why a 125kHz bandwidth is preferable over 250kHz in a high-noise environment, you have no business relying on these tools. The hard truth is that we are witnessing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must take personal responsibility for your station. This means testing your range with real-world obstacles. It means understanding how your antenna height and gain affect your local mesh. It means being able to re-flash your firmware in the dark while the rain is pouring down. If you cannot do these things, you are not prepared. You are just a collector of electronic gadgets. The discipline of the amateur radio spirit must be applied to these new digital modes. We are losing the technical edge that made the license worth having in the first place. The split is a chance to reset. It is a chance to move away from the appliance operator mindset and back toward the engineering mindset. You should be auditing your own mesh. Look at the traffic logs. See how many packets are being dropped. See how many of your traffic is just node discovery overhead. If you find that your network is inefficient, do not wait for a developer to fix it. Change your settings. Educate your neighbors. If the split leads to a better, more efficient protocol, then it was worth the friction. But if it just leads to two broken networks instead of one, then we have all lost. The practical application of this knowledge is simple: test everything. Do not assume your mesh will work because the light on the board is green. Prove it. Send data over the longest possible path. Monitor the battery drain. Watch the spectrum on an analyzer if you have one. If you do not have the tools to verify your network, you do not have a network. You have a hope. And hope is not a plan for communication. Secure your nodes, harden your protocol, and stop relying on software you have never bothered to read. The day is coming when the only thing between you and the void is the connection you built yourself. Don’t let it be a connection built on laziness. Clean up your messy node or accept that you will be silent when it matters.
Conclusion: The Future of Decentralized Mesh Networks and User Mastery
The discipline of the old-school radio operator has to be applied here or the whole thing will fail. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a call to stop being a lazy user and start being a real operator. We do not have time for good enough when the grid is down. Check your gear, learn the rules of the airwaves, and be ready for a future where the channels are full and the software is broken. Build your setup expecting things to break. There is no room for being soft. Learn the math, understand your range, and make sure every message you send is worth the airtime. The grid is weak, the airwaves are crowded, and your own lack of knowledge is the only thing truly blocking your signal. Fix your gear, learn the system, and stop waiting for someone else to save you. The grid is fragile, the spectrum is finite, and your ignorance is the only thing standing between you and a total blackout. Fix your station, fix your protocol, and stop waiting for someone else to secure your link. The time for playing games with digital toys is over. Mastery is the only way forward. Master the code, master the RF, or stay off the air. This hobby demands engineers, not appliance operators. Be the asset the network needs, not the QRM that kills it. Finalize your build, test the link, and maintain the discipline required to keep the airwaves open for those who truly need them.
Call to Action
Join the Network and Master Your Comms Before the Grid Goes Dark. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a wake-up call for every operator. You cannot afford to be a passive user when the lines of communication are at stake. Whether you choose the feature-rich path or the lean efficiency of the core, the responsibility for a working link lies with you. Don’t wait for a crisis to realize your nodes are misconfigured or your protocol is inefficient. Start auditing your setup today by getting out in the field to find your real-world limits, diving into the spreading factors to clear the noise, and educating your local mesh to ensure your neighborhood stays connected. The airwaves belong to those who master them. Secure your hardware, flash your firmware, and become a reliable node in the decentralized future. Join the conversation, build the grid, and stay off the silent list.
SUPPORTSUBSCRIBECONTACT MED. Bryan King
Sources
- FCC Part 15 Radio Frequency Devices – Federal Communications Commission
- SX1262 LoRa Transceiver Datasheet – Semtech
- Meshtastic Project Documentation – Meshtastic
- A Study of LoRa: Long Range and Low Power Networks for the Internet of Things – IEEE
- The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications – ARRL
- Guide to Bluetooth Security (RF Protocol Standards) – NIST
- LoRaWAN 1.1 Specification – LoRa Alliance
- Do LoRa Low-Power Wide-Area Networks Scale? – IEEE
- ESP32 Series Datasheet – Espressif Systems
- nRF52840 Product Specification – Nordic Semiconductor
- Terminology for Constrained-Node Networks – IETF
- ITU Handbook on Land Mobile Communications – International Telecommunication Union
- Protocol Buffers Documentation – Google Developers
- Understanding the Basics of LoRa and LoRaWAN – DigiKey
- LoRa Technology: A Technical Overview – NXP Semiconductors
- LoRaWAN Documentation – The Things Network
- Guide to Bluetooth Security – NIST Special Publication
- LoRa Physical Layer Packet Structure – RF Wireless World
- LoRa Wireless Technology – Microchip Technology
- Understanding and Enhancing RF Link Budget – Analog Devices
- LoRaWAN Technology Overview – STMicroelectronics
- Analysis of the Capacity and Scalability of LoRaWAN – ResearchGate
- Fundamentals of the LoRa Physical Layer – EDN Network
- What is LoRa Technology? – everything RF
- Link Budget Basics – Microwaves101
- LoRa Long Range Technology Overview – Texas Instruments
- Scalability of LoRaWAN for Massive IoT Deployment – MDPI Sensors
- Detailed Study of LoRa Low Power Communications – PMC
- 11 Myths About LoRa and LoRaWAN – Electronic Design
- LoRa Modulation Basics – Microwave Journal
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.
Related Posts
Rate this:
#915MHz #airtimeOptimization #AmateurRadio #antennaGain #bandwidthManagement #communicationSecurity #communityMesh #constrainedNodes #dataTransmission #DecentralizedNetworks #digitalModes #DisasterRecovery #dutyCycle #emergencyComms #ESP32 #FCCPart15 #firmwareFlashing #floodingProtocol #gridDownComms #hiddenNodeProblem #IoTScalability #ISMBand #linkBudget #LoRa #LoRaWAN #meshNetworking #MeshCore #Meshtastic #networkCongestion #nodeDensity #nRF52840 #offGridCommunication #packetCollisions #packetLoss #protocolOverhead #radioDiscipline #radioFrequency #RFEngineering #RFInterference #routingLogic #signalPropagation #SignalToNoiseRatio #SNR #spectralEfficiency #spreadingFactor #survivalTech #SX1262 #TacticalComms #wirelessProtocols -
The Broken Mesh: Why the Fight Between Meshtastic and MeshCore Matters
2,734 words, 14 minutes read time.
The fracture between the Meshtastic and MeshCore projects is a warning that you cannot ignore. For years, people thought a simple, off-grid data net was the answer for when the main lines go down. But now, the community is divided. This is not just a small fight over code. It is a total disagreement on how to handle communication when things get ugly. If you think you are ready just because you bought a cheap radio board and did not bother to learn how the software actually works, you are just a hobbyist playing with toys. The rift between Meshtastic and MeshCore shows how fragile these systems are and why you need to know your gear inside and out. A mesh net is only as good as its weakest link. If you do not master the tech, you are just a dead node in a silent town. We are seeing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must choose your tools based on the reality of the physics, not the popularity of the app. Demand that your firmware be an efficient tool for data transmission, not a bloated social media platform for the 915 MHz band. If you do not take the time to understand the modulation, the packet structure, and the routing logic of the software you flash onto your hardware, you are just a child playing with a walkie-talkie while the grown-ups are trying to build a grid. Mastery of the radio spectrum is not an option; it is a requirement for anyone who claims to be prepared. This split is the first real test of whether civilian mesh can survive the chaos of its own success. You either learn to navigate the airwaves or you signal your own failure. Every packet you send without understanding the cost is a round wasted in a firefight. Stop treating your emergency comms like a smartphone app and start treating it like the life-support system it is. This technical mastery is the difference between a working link and a radio that does nothing but drain your battery in the dark.
Troubleshooting LoRa Mesh Protocol Inefficiency and Network Congestion
The fight between Meshtastic and MeshCore comes down to how they use the radio waves and the small chips that run them. Meshtastic has been the big name for a long time. It uses a flooding method where every radio repeats every message it hears. In the woods, that is fine. In a city with a hundred users, it is a train wreck. The air gets crowded, messages hit each other, and the whole system jams itself. MeshCore did not start because people wanted a new app. It started because the old way is inefficient. The core of the split is about the overhead—the extra data that hitches a ride on every message. Meshtastic adds a lot of features, but those features take up space. MeshCore wants to strip everything down to the bone so the network stays stable. When you have very little room to send data, every extra bit is a mistake. This is a battle between lots of features and it just has to work. If your software is fighting your hardware, you lose. The divergence between Meshtastic and MeshCore is rooted in the physics of the 900 MHz ISM band and the limitations of the ESP32 and nRF52 chipsets. As the node count grows, the airwaves become a chaotic mess of collisions and retransmissions, effectively jamming the very frequency the operators are trying to utilize. While Meshtastic has focused on a feature-rich user experience with a heavy reliance on a specific structure, MeshCore proponents argue for a leaner, more modular approach that prioritizes the stability of the underlying mesh over the bells and whistles of the interface. When you are operating on a low-bandwidth, high-latency medium like LoRa, every byte of overhead is a liability. You either master the protocol or you become a dead node. The math does not lie even if the marketing does. If your network protocol consumes more than ten percent of your bandwidth for heartbeats, your network is dying. Every extra feature in the code is another potential point of failure when the signal gets weak. You have to decide if you want a chat app or a survival tool. The flooding algorithm used by Meshtastic is a blunt instrument that was never meant for high-density urban deployment. It works by simply re-broadcasting every unique packet received until a hop limit is reached. In a sparse environment, this ensures the message gets through by any means necessary. But as the number of nodes increases, the probability of two nodes transmitting at the same time goes up. This leads to packet collisions where neither message is readable. MeshCore attempts to solve this by moving toward a more structured routing system. This means the software tries to figure out the best path for a message instead of just yelling it to everyone. This shift requires a level of technical discipline that many casual users find frustrating. It means the network is less plug-and-play and more of a precision tool. If you want a network that survives a real crisis, you have to move away from the chaos of flooding. You have to understand how the Media Access Control layer handles traffic. You have to know how to set your timing parameters so you are not stepping on your own neighbors. The split is a clear line in the sand between those who want ease of use and those who want engineering reliability. You cannot hide from the physics of the airwaves. Either your packets move or they die in the dirt. Stop assuming the software will fix your bad placement. Fix the engineering or get off the air.
Physics of LoRa Packet Collisions and Signal to Noise Ratio Analysis
To understand this split, you have to look at how these radios actually talk. They use a low-power system called LoRa. It is built for long range, but it is slow. There are strict rules on how long you can broadcast before you have to shut up and let others speak. Because Meshtastic repeats everything, adding more people makes the problem worse fast. This is not a glitch. It is physics. MeshCore was built to change how messages find their path through the net. Instead of everyone yelling at once, it wants a smarter way to move data that does not waste airtime. The split happened because one group likes the safety of repeating everything, while the other wants a clean, quiet network. If your radio is spending eighty percent of its power just saying I am here, you are not communicating—you are just making noise. The split proves that the current path is heading for a crash where no one can get a message through. LoRa is designed for long-range, low-power communication, but it is inherently limited by the Duty Cycle regulations of the FCC Part 15 and similar international bodies. Meshtastic’s current implementation of the flooding protocol means that as you add more users, the probability of packet storms increases exponentially. MeshCore was conceptualized to address the need for a more rigid, perhaps even more disciplined, routing logic that could potentially mitigate the hidden node problem and reduce the airtime usage per packet. The technical fallout between the two development paths stems from a disagreement on how to manage the limited airtime of the ISM band. One camp believes in the resilience of redundant flooding, while the other seeks a more surgical, routed approach to data delivery. This is a matter of Spectral Efficiency. If your mesh is using the majority of its available airtime just to say it exists, you have failed as an operator and an engineer. You are polluting the spectrum with digital noise. This noise prevents emergency traffic from getting through. It creates a false sense of security where people think they have a working link when they actually have a jammed one. You must look at the duty cycle of your own node. If you are transmitting more than one percent of the time in the 900 MHz band, you are likely part of the problem. MeshCore is an attempt to force the network into a more responsible state. It prioritizes the survival of the link over the convenience of the user. This is a hard truth that many do not want to hear. Physics does not care about your feelings or your user interface. It only cares about the signal-to-noise ratio. If your signal is lost in the noise of your own network, you have built nothing but a very expensive paperweight. Every packet sent is a risk. In a real-world scenario, a long transmission can be used to find your location. Flooding makes this risk much higher because your message is repeated over and over by every node in the area. A routed system like what MeshCore aims for reduces this risk by limiting the number of times a message is sent. This is not just about efficiency; it is about security. You have to understand that the airwaves are a shared resource. If you treat them like your own personal garbage dump, you will find yourself alone and unheard when the time comes to actually send a call for help. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a debate over the very future of private, off-grid data. One side wants to make it accessible to everyone, while the other wants to make it work when nothing else does. You have to decide which side of that line you stand on. If you are not monitoring your packet loss and your noise floor, you are not an operator. You are just a passenger in a system that is bound to fail. Stop looking at the colorful screens and start looking at the spectrum. The truth is in the waterfall, not the icons. The physics of 915 MHz demand respect that a plug and play mindset cannot provide.
Off-Grid Communication Solutions and Technical Radio Discipline
The result of this fight is a mess where gear running one software will not talk to gear running the other. For you, that means your radio is a brick if your neighbor is on the other side of the fence. This is how a mesh net dies. A mesh needs everyone to speak the same language. When the builders split, the network breaks. This should wake up anyone who thinks they can just download a file and be safe. The hard truth is that we are seeing a new tech grow too fast for the people using it. You have to pick your tools based on facts, not what looks cool. Demand software that moves data fast and clean. If you do not know how your radio sends a packet or why some settings work better than others, you have no business relying on this in a pinch. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of radio, there are no shortcuts. For the operator in the field, this means your gear might be useless if the person three blocks away is running a different branch of the protocol. This is the death of a mesh. A mesh requires a common language, a shared set of timing parameters, and a unified understanding of frequency hopping and spreading factors. When the developers split, the network breaks. This should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they can outsource their emergency communications to a GitHub repository they do not understand. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a reminder that in the world of RF, there are no shortcuts. If you cannot explain the difference between a Spreading Factor of seven and twelve, or why a 125kHz bandwidth is preferable over 250kHz in a high-noise environment, you have no business relying on these tools. The hard truth is that we are witnessing the growing pains of a decentralized technology that is outstripping the discipline of its users. You must take personal responsibility for your station. This means testing your range with real-world obstacles. It means understanding how your antenna height and gain affect your local mesh. It means being able to re-flash your firmware in the dark while the rain is pouring down. If you cannot do these things, you are not prepared. You are just a collector of electronic gadgets. The discipline of the amateur radio spirit must be applied to these new digital modes. We are losing the technical edge that made the license worth having in the first place. The split is a chance to reset. It is a chance to move away from the appliance operator mindset and back toward the engineering mindset. You should be auditing your own mesh. Look at the traffic logs. See how many packets are being dropped. See how many of your traffic is just node discovery overhead. If you find that your network is inefficient, do not wait for a developer to fix it. Change your settings. Educate your neighbors. If the split leads to a better, more efficient protocol, then it was worth the friction. But if it just leads to two broken networks instead of one, then we have all lost. The practical application of this knowledge is simple: test everything. Do not assume your mesh will work because the light on the board is green. Prove it. Send data over the longest possible path. Monitor the battery drain. Watch the spectrum on an analyzer if you have one. If you do not have the tools to verify your network, you do not have a network. You have a hope. And hope is not a plan for communication. Secure your nodes, harden your protocol, and stop relying on software you have never bothered to read. The day is coming when the only thing between you and the void is the connection you built yourself. Don’t let it be a connection built on laziness. Clean up your messy node or accept that you will be silent when it matters.
Conclusion: The Future of Decentralized Mesh Networks and User Mastery
The discipline of the old-school radio operator has to be applied here or the whole thing will fail. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a call to stop being a lazy user and start being a real operator. We do not have time for good enough when the grid is down. Check your gear, learn the rules of the airwaves, and be ready for a future where the channels are full and the software is broken. Build your setup expecting things to break. There is no room for being soft. Learn the math, understand your range, and make sure every message you send is worth the airtime. The grid is weak, the airwaves are crowded, and your own lack of knowledge is the only thing truly blocking your signal. Fix your gear, learn the system, and stop waiting for someone else to save you. The grid is fragile, the spectrum is finite, and your ignorance is the only thing standing between you and a total blackout. Fix your station, fix your protocol, and stop waiting for someone else to secure your link. The time for playing games with digital toys is over. Mastery is the only way forward. Master the code, master the RF, or stay off the air. This hobby demands engineers, not appliance operators. Be the asset the network needs, not the QRM that kills it. Finalize your build, test the link, and maintain the discipline required to keep the airwaves open for those who truly need them.
Call to Action
Join the Network and Master Your Comms Before the Grid Goes Dark. The split between Meshtastic and MeshCore is a wake-up call for every operator. You cannot afford to be a passive user when the lines of communication are at stake. Whether you choose the feature-rich path or the lean efficiency of the core, the responsibility for a working link lies with you. Don’t wait for a crisis to realize your nodes are misconfigured or your protocol is inefficient. Start auditing your setup today by getting out in the field to find your real-world limits, diving into the spreading factors to clear the noise, and educating your local mesh to ensure your neighborhood stays connected. The airwaves belong to those who master them. Secure your hardware, flash your firmware, and become a reliable node in the decentralized future. Join the conversation, build the grid, and stay off the silent list.
SUPPORTSUBSCRIBECONTACT MED. Bryan King
Sources
- FCC Part 15 Radio Frequency Devices – Federal Communications Commission
- SX1262 LoRa Transceiver Datasheet – Semtech
- Meshtastic Project Documentation – Meshtastic
- A Study of LoRa: Long Range and Low Power Networks for the Internet of Things – IEEE
- The ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications – ARRL
- Guide to Bluetooth Security (RF Protocol Standards) – NIST
- LoRaWAN 1.1 Specification – LoRa Alliance
- Do LoRa Low-Power Wide-Area Networks Scale? – IEEE
- ESP32 Series Datasheet – Espressif Systems
- nRF52840 Product Specification – Nordic Semiconductor
- Terminology for Constrained-Node Networks – IETF
- ITU Handbook on Land Mobile Communications – International Telecommunication Union
- Protocol Buffers Documentation – Google Developers
- Understanding the Basics of LoRa and LoRaWAN – DigiKey
- LoRa Technology: A Technical Overview – NXP Semiconductors
- LoRaWAN Documentation – The Things Network
- Guide to Bluetooth Security – NIST Special Publication
- LoRa Physical Layer Packet Structure – RF Wireless World
- LoRa Wireless Technology – Microchip Technology
- Understanding and Enhancing RF Link Budget – Analog Devices
- LoRaWAN Technology Overview – STMicroelectronics
- Analysis of the Capacity and Scalability of LoRaWAN – ResearchGate
- Fundamentals of the LoRa Physical Layer – EDN Network
- What is LoRa Technology? – everything RF
- Link Budget Basics – Microwaves101
- LoRa Long Range Technology Overview – Texas Instruments
- Scalability of LoRaWAN for Massive IoT Deployment – MDPI Sensors
- Detailed Study of LoRa Low Power Communications – PMC
- 11 Myths About LoRa and LoRaWAN – Electronic Design
- LoRa Modulation Basics – Microwave Journal
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author. The information provided is based on personal research, experience, and understanding of the subject matter at the time of writing. Readers should consult relevant experts or authorities for specific guidance related to their unique situations.
Related Posts
Rate this:
#915MHz #airtimeOptimization #AmateurRadio #antennaGain #bandwidthManagement #communicationSecurity #communityMesh #constrainedNodes #dataTransmission #DecentralizedNetworks #digitalModes #DisasterRecovery #dutyCycle #emergencyComms #ESP32 #FCCPart15 #firmwareFlashing #floodingProtocol #gridDownComms #hiddenNodeProblem #IoTScalability #ISMBand #linkBudget #LoRa #LoRaWAN #meshNetworking #MeshCore #Meshtastic #networkCongestion #nodeDensity #nRF52840 #offGridCommunication #packetCollisions #packetLoss #protocolOverhead #radioDiscipline #radioFrequency #RFEngineering #RFInterference #routingLogic #signalPropagation #SignalToNoiseRatio #SNR #spectralEfficiency #spreadingFactor #survivalTech #SX1262 #TacticalComms #wirelessProtocols -
DATE: May 14, 2026 at 04:30AM
SOURCE: STAT NEWS MENTAL HEALTHTITLE: STAT+: Treatment for alcohol addiction is undergoing a seismic shift. Many say it’s overdue
All Jillian wanted was to regain control of her drinking.
At 38, she knew alcohol had already cost her a marriage and begun to threaten her career. What had started as typical college-age shenanigans had morphed into regularly overindulging at professional happy hours, and eventually into an all-day urge to drink. Most days, a bottle of vodka journeyed from standing full in a cabinet to laying empty in a recycling bin.
“I got to the point where I said: Holy shit, I can’t stop on my own,” Jillian said.
Her boyfriend was at a loss. Her therapist’s harm-reduction tactics helped at times, but the relapses kept coming. And while her family doctor encouraged her attempts to cut back, he never prescribed medication that might help. In the end, Jillian took the only path she knew: She sought a local Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
But the mutual help group didn’t do the trick, either. She found the programming too God-centric and the messaging about achieving sudden, permanent abstinence unrealistic. At several points, men aggressively pursued her and other women there, offering rides home or seeking their phone numbers under the guise of mentorship. When she did find camaraderie, it was with other attendees who met up after meetings to drink at a nearby bar.
Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…
-------------------------------------------------
STAT News reports "from the frontiers of health and medicine".
Learn more at https://www.statnews.com/topic/mental-health/ .
See also their complete Mastodon account at @STAT .
This robot is NOT affiliated with STAT news and merely rebroadcasts from their site. Responses posted here are not monitored.
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DAILY EMAIL DIGEST: Email [email protected] -- no subject or message needed.
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot
Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com
EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org
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It's primitive... but it works... mostly...
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AlcoholUseDisorder #AlcoholismTreatment # AddictionRecovery #SoberLiving #MedicationsForAlcoholUseDisorder #HarmReduction #MentalHealthAwareness #AlcoholAwareness #SeismicShiftInTreatment #STATPlus
-
DATE: May 14, 2026 at 04:30AM
SOURCE: STAT NEWS MENTAL HEALTHTITLE: STAT+: Treatment for alcohol addiction is undergoing a seismic shift. Many say it’s overdue
All Jillian wanted was to regain control of her drinking.
At 38, she knew alcohol had already cost her a marriage and begun to threaten her career. What had started as typical college-age shenanigans had morphed into regularly overindulging at professional happy hours, and eventually into an all-day urge to drink. Most days, a bottle of vodka journeyed from standing full in a cabinet to laying empty in a recycling bin.
“I got to the point where I said: Holy shit, I can’t stop on my own,” Jillian said.
Her boyfriend was at a loss. Her therapist’s harm-reduction tactics helped at times, but the relapses kept coming. And while her family doctor encouraged her attempts to cut back, he never prescribed medication that might help. In the end, Jillian took the only path she knew: She sought a local Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
But the mutual help group didn’t do the trick, either. She found the programming too God-centric and the messaging about achieving sudden, permanent abstinence unrealistic. At several points, men aggressively pursued her and other women there, offering rides home or seeking their phone numbers under the guise of mentorship. When she did find camaraderie, it was with other attendees who met up after meetings to drink at a nearby bar.
Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…
-------------------------------------------------
STAT News reports "from the frontiers of health and medicine".
Learn more at https://www.statnews.com/topic/mental-health/ .
See also their complete Mastodon account at @STAT .
This robot is NOT affiliated with STAT news and merely rebroadcasts from their site. Responses posted here are not monitored.
-------------------------------------------------
DAILY EMAIL DIGEST: Email [email protected] -- no subject or message needed.
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
NYU Information for Practice puts out 400-500 good quality health-related research posts per week but its too much for many people, so that bot is limited to just subscribers. You can read it or subscribe at @PsychResearchBot
Since 1991 The National Psychologist has focused on keeping practicing psychologists current with news, information and items of interest. Check them out for more free articles, resources, and subscription information: https://www.nationalpsychologist.com
EMAIL DAILY DIGEST OF RSS FEEDS -- SUBSCRIBE: http://subscribe-article-digests.clinicians-exchange.org
READ ONLINE: http://read-the-rss-mega-archive.clinicians-exchange.org
It's primitive... but it works... mostly...
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #AlcoholUseDisorder #AlcoholismTreatment # AddictionRecovery #SoberLiving #MedicationsForAlcoholUseDisorder #HarmReduction #MentalHealthAwareness #AlcoholAwareness #SeismicShiftInTreatment #STATPlus
-
Prepared for War, Focused on Strategy: India After Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was launched as I was finishing this piece, arguing against the case for war. I had to start all over again this morning. And this is the kind of rework that makes me the happiest.
At precisely 01:15 hours on the morning of May 07, India’s tri-services led precision strikes hit nine identified terrorist launchpads across the LoC. These were not speculative targets. They were terror hideouts and camps, carefully selected based on intelligence inputs, surveillance data, and satellite confirmation. The surgical nature of the strike matters, but so does the symbolism.
The name pays tribute to the 26 women widowed in the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, a religiously motivated act of brutality that took the lives of their husbands. Only Prime Minister Narendra Modi could have named a mission with such deep meaning and purpose. It wasn’t Operation Revenge. It wasn’t Operation Vengeance. It was Operation Sindoor, a mark of dignity, love, and quiet strength.
Now that these precision strikes have been executed with purpose and clarity, the real question is: What next?
A salute to restraint, not weakness
Let me say this upfront: I am impressed beyond measure by the composure and tactical brilliance of the Narendra Modi-led government. In a nation as emotionally charged as ours, not responding to public sentiment with boots and bombs takes immense courage. India’s decision to hold fire, despite having both the capability and the political will, was not about fear. It was about foresight.
Choosing not to go to war with a collapsing, cornered neighbor is not a weakness. It’s wisdom. Let’s not forget that Pakistan today is not a rival with parity. It is a state gasping for economic oxygen, politically unstable, diplomatically isolated, and dangerously desperate.
Measured retaliation, not escalation
Let’s begin with what this operation tells us. Despite the sheer magnitude of national anger, hawkish media debates, and roaring calls for full-blown retaliation, the government did not target Pakistani military establishments. It did not initiate a cross-border escalation beyond tactical bounds.
Instead, India hit only what it had to: terrorist infrastructure, not sovereign command. That distinction is not accidental. It is intentional and extremely telling.
The message to Pakistan is loud but nuanced: We’re capable, we’re watching, and we will act, but we still don’t want war.
Not because we can’t. But because we shouldn’t.
Make no mistake, India has the political will, public support, and military capacity to launch a full-scale war. But a strong nation is not one that fights every time it can. It’s one that knows when not to.
War with Pakistan at this moment would be giving a collapsing neighbor what it desperately wants, an excuse to reframe its economic failure as patriotic resistance, and its international isolation as victimhood.
Pakistan’s economy is in ruins:
- External debt: $131+ billion (World Bank, 2024)
- Forex reserves: Below $15 billion
- Inflation: Above 23%
- IMF bailout conditions are barely met; another default looming.
A war now would allow Pakistan to seek debt waivers from the IMF, World Bank, and allies like China and Saudi Arabia, arguing “force majeure.” It would divert attention from their governance collapse and let them play the perennial card: Kashmir + victimhood.
As former diplomat and strategic analyst Shivshankar Menon once noted, “Desperate states don’t fight rationally. They fight like they have nothing to lose. That’s when things get dangerous.”
Here are 5 good reasons India should not go to war with the rogue state of Pakistan
1. The beggar state’s bait: War as economic escape
Pakistan owes over $131 billion in external debt (World Bank, 2024). Its foreign exchange reserves hover around $9–15 billion, barely enough to cover two months of imports. Inflation is above 23%, and the country is teetering on social unrest. And yet, there’s a perverse incentive to provoke war.
A war gives Pakistan the perfect alibi to plead with the World Bank, IMF, and bilateral lenders to waive or reschedule its debt repayments. In diplomatic circles, there’s already chatter that Pakistan could request “debt relief due to regional conflict.” It’s a trap, one designed to cloak failure under conflict.
Going to war would unwittingly play into that narrative.
2. Military prowess is not the question, nuclear desperation is
India’s defense forces are robust, modernized, and battle-ready. Pakistan’s military, on the other hand, is overstretched and reliant on outdated hardware, external funding, and Chinese hand-me-downs. Militarily, the match is uneven. But this is exactly what makes the situation volatile and dangerous.
A cornered enemy is unpredictable. Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine allows for first use in case of a perceived existential threat. Multiple international analysts, including Vipin Narang (MIT) and Michael Krepon (Stimson Center), have warned that Pakistan may lower its nuclear threshold in desperation.
In blunt terms, they might press the red button not because they hope to win, but because they’ve already lost everything else.
3. A war India cannot afford, not in rupees but in momentum
Let’s do some arithmetic. During the Kargil War in 1999, India spent nearly ₹5,000 crore ($1.2 billion) over two months. Today, a sustained war would drain upwards of ₹25,000 crore ($3–5 billion) per month, given inflation and modern warfare costs. Add the cost of rebuilding infrastructure, displacement, and global investor nervousness, and we’re staring at a 10-year economic setback.
According to S&P and Morgan Stanley, India is poised to become the third-largest economy by 2027. A war with Pakistan would throw that trajectory into chaos, delay key infrastructure and welfare initiatives, and dampen investor confidence.
Why should a fast-moving train care to halt to kick a collapsing donkey-driven cart?
4. Tactical, not emotional: The smarter path to pressure
War is not the only language of retaliation. India has already begun a silent siege, tactically precise and diplomatically sound. Here’s what this playbook includes:
- Suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT): While India has maintained the moral high ground by adhering to the IWT even during the wars of 1965 and 1971, under the Vienna Convention, it did not hesitate to hold it in abeyance now. The reallocation of water would disrupt Pakistan’s already fragile agricultural base.
- Diplomatic isolation: India has mobilized allies across the UN, G20, and OIC to present fresh dossiers on Pakistan’s terror funding, training camps, and role in cross-border militancy. Even traditional backers like the UAE are more muted in support.
- Trade cancellation: India already revoked Pakistan’s MFN status in 2019, reducing bilateral trade to a trickle. Now, further trade embargoes in pharmaceuticals, electronics, and fertilizers are on the table.
- Airspace closure: A repeat of the 2019 strategy, where India barred its airspace to Pakistani carriers, would cost Pakistan millions a month. According to Dawn, PIA’s previous losses due to Indian airspace restrictions exceeded PKR 500 million in just 3 months.
- Port and transit route restrictions: Karachi Port is already choking. India could push for blockade-level economic isolation, including influencing friendly naval allies to reconsider maritime permissions.
- LoC abeyance: Now that the LoC is in abeyance, India is free to selectively retaliate on key launchpads and smuggling corridors, not all-out war, but high-impact precision response.
- Targeted sanctions: India can lead the effort to impose travel bans, asset freezes, and defense restrictions on key Pakistani political and military figures, especially those with offshore holdings.
- Digital bans: India can block and ban all social media channels and handles of Pakistani citizens and media in India.
- Leveraging Balochistan to Pakistan on the tetherhooks: For decades, the Baloch have accused Pakistan’s establishment of genocide, disappearances, and cultural erasure. A 2023 report by the UNPO and Human Rights Council of Balochistan documented over 1,300 enforced disappearances in just one year. India need not (and should not) militarize Balochistan. But strategic engagement with Baloch activists, amplifying their human rights demands in global forums, and media visibility of Pakistani oppression in Balochistan can keep Islamabad perennially uneasy. This creates pressure without conflict. It disrupts their internal stability. And it balances the Kashmir narrative with Pakistan’s own darkest secret. In short: What Kashmir is to Pakistan emotionally, Balochistan is to Pakistan existentially.
This is not pacifism. This is modern-day warfare, just by other means.
5. Global optics: The China and Muslim bloc variable
While India enjoys deep strategic relations with the US, France, Japan, and Australia, a war could alter equations, especially if Pakistan spins the conflict into a religious narrative. And knowing Pakistan, it will.
Countries like Turkey, Malaysia, and Azerbaijan have already signaled moral support to Pakistan. China, too, has reiterated its “unwavering support” for Pakistan amid rising tensions.
Worse, a war gives China a pretext to stoke tension in Eastern Ladakh or Arunachal, forcing India into a two-front war, a scenario no strategist desires.
India must keep the moral upper hand. Because in global diplomacy, perception often precedes truth.
Now what? War isn’t our goal. But if it must be, we’re more than ready.
India didn’t take the bait. India responded like a nation aware of its stature and its goals.
We are not a weak nation choosing inaction. We are a strong nation choosing strategy.
With Operation Sindoor now public, we must brace for Pakistan’s next move. It may retaliate with proxy terror. It may resort to LoC shelling. It may just barge into our territory with their fighters. It may press the nuke. Or it may raise the diplomatic pitch at the UN. Or it may choose to be act wise, and lick their wounds in private. Anything is possible.
But now, the burden of escalation lies with Pakistan. India has done what it needed to: precise, proportionate, and public.
India has nothing to establish by bombing bunkers and waving flags on burning borders. Our soldiers remain ever-ready. Our arsenal is loaded. But our brains are sharper. We know that war with a poor, isolated, nuclear-armed beggar-state is not a badge of honor. It’s a drain. On resources. On time. On progress.
Sources
- Economic Times (2025): Can Pakistan fight India on borrowed money
- World Bank (2024): Pakistan Economic Update
- Stimson Center: Krepon, Narang on South Asia Nuclear Risk
- UNPO & HRCB Reports (2023): Human rights in Balochistan
- MEA Briefing (2025): Official statement on Operation Sindoor
- Shivshankar Menon, Choices: Inside the Making of Indian Foreign Policy
#BalochistanIssue #crossBorderTerrorism #history #india #IndiaDefenseNews #IndiaDefensePolicy #IndiaMilitaryResponse #IndiaNationalSecurity #IndiaPakistanBorderTension #IndiaPakistanConflict #IndiaPakistanLatestUpdates #IndiaRetaliationPolicy #IndiaVsPakistan2025 #IndiaVsPakistanEscalation #IndiaSMilitaryDoctrine #IndiaSWarReadiness #IndianAirForceStrikes #IndianAirStrikes2025 #IndianForeignPolicy2025 #IndianGovernmentResponse #IndoPakTensions #ModiForeignPolicy #ModiGovernmentResponse #NarendraModiStrategy #news #nuclearThreatSouthAsia #OperationSindoor #OperationSindoorAnalysis #pakistan #PakistanEconomicCrisis #PhalgamTerrorAttack #politics #precisionStrikesIndia #SouthAsiaDiplomacy #SouthAsiaGeopolitics #strategicRestraintIndia #surgicalStrikesIndia #warPreparednessIndia
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South Africans, I'm sure you've all heard of the #PleaseCallMe debacle by now[*]. What do you think? Do you think the Nkosana Makate should get any money?
[*] In a nutshell, this guy, Nkosana Makate was working in the accounts department at Vodacom, many years ago. He came up with an idea for a service where Vodacom (a cellular provider) customers could enter a USSD code for free, and Vodacom would in turn send an SMS message to another subscriber saying asking if they would mind calling the person back. Literally, "Please Call Me", for when you don't have any airtime on your phone and you need to get in touch with someone.
Over the years, Please Call Me became a staple of Vodacom -- and other providers in South Africa -- and at its height, there were probably tens of milllions of them being sent every day.
Nkosana Makate has been embroiled in a legal battle with Vodacom for the past few years, because he believes they should pay him for coming up with the idea.
I hope I've summed that up well enough? :-)
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Inside the Battle for The Smithsonian – Vanity Fair
CULTURE WAR
Inside the Battle for The Smithsonian
Donald Trump’s unprecedented measures to take control of The Smithsonian Institution have rattled staffers, enraged artists, and even put the future of its vast collection in doubt.
By Manuel Roig-Franzia, September 29, 2025
Andrew Harnik / Getty Images.The look on the curator’s face said it all, and the intensity of the conversation was escalating by the moment. Confusion to worry. Worry to dread.
“I want to do this,” the curator said. “But I don’t think I can do this. I’m worried that I might get in trouble.”
On any other day, the curator’s sit-down with a high-ranking Smithsonian official about an exhibition plan would have been routine—the idea wasn’t particularly controversial. But not on this day in late March. President Donald Trump’s White House had just issued an executive order, a mere 1,100 words or so but plenty enough to shake the world’s largest museum and research institution to its core, a document titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.”
The order lambasted The Smithsonian, saying it had “in recent years come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology. This shift has promoted narratives that portray American and Western values as inherently harmful and oppressive.” It went on to order Vice President JD Vance, who sits on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, to seek out and “remove improper ideology” and to take a hand in reshaping content at the popular 21-museum complex as well as its research centers and the National Zoo. The Trump administration, the order said, would work to ensure The Smithsonian would transmit an “uplifting” message to remind “Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union, and unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing.”
Trump announces nominees for the annual Kennedy Center Honors, August 13, 2025. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images.The order felt almost Orwellian to some.
“It taps into people’s basest fears,” a high-ranking official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of concerns about retribution, told me.
Across the breadth of the vast Smithsonian network, similar reactions were taking place. Officials were beginning to doubt their decisions. Might they be self-editing to appease a vengeful president? Might self-editing morph into self-sabotage? Might The Smithsonian, which gets a large percentage of its budget from the federal government but prides itself on independence, become a political propaganda tool?
“The whole thing is fucked up,” said artist Mika Rottenberg, whose work will be featured at The Smithsonian in November. “So many things are fucked up.”
Continue/Read Original Article: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/inside-the-battle-for-the-smithsonian
#2025 #America #Battle #Censorship #DonaldTrump #Education #EraseHistory #Health #History #InsideSmithsonian #KennedyCenter #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Opinion #Politics #RemoveHistory #Resistance #Science #Smithsonian #SmithsonianInstitution #Trump #TrumpAdministration #UnitedStates #VanityFair
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Message in a bottle from WWI soldier in 1916 found on Esperance beach
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-25/message-in-a-bottle-wwi-aif-soldier/105932346
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‘He was so excited’: painter discovers 122-year-old message in a bottle inside lighthouse walls
Bottle stashed in wall cavity of heritage-listed Cape Bruny lighthouse contained letter written in 1903 by Tasmanian lighthouse inspector
#News #Tasmania #Australia #MessageInABottle #History #CapeBruny #Lighthouse
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Moray schoolgirl's message in a bottle gets a reply from Norway 31 years later.
The primary pupil from Moray in the north east of Scotland sent out her message in 1994 and it finally turned up across the North Sea in Norway.
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Solved after 47 years: The mystery of the North Sea message in a bottle
The note with a Scottish address and dated 1978 was found on a Swedish island.
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Meikincine Acquires Daniel Hendler’s ‘A Loose End,’ Gabriel Nesci’s ‘Message in a Bottle’ and María Zanetti’s Debut ‘Alemania’ (EXCLUSIVE)
#Variety #Global #News #ALooseEnd #Alemania #Meikincine #MessageinaBottlehttps://variety.com/2025/film/global/meikincine-loose-end-message-in-a-bottle-alemania-1236401616/
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87 years ago today the Battle of De Winton Field took place Tonypandy, Wales when 6000 anti-fascists turned up to confront a rally by the Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists (BUF), running them out of town within thirty minutes of the rally's commencement. Thirty-seven anti-fascists were charged with offenses, with several serving six-month prison sentences. Four of the charged traveled to Spain to fight in the International Brigades against Franco in the Spanish Civil War.
"“We swore not even one Welsh sheep would hear the Mosley message. People in the Rhondda put their bodies on the line to oppose hatred and racism. I want to see this history taught more widely.” - Annie Powell, former mayor of Penygraig.