Linen drum flush mount light

A scenario popped into my head one day that seems to violate the first law of thermodynamics. My apologies in advance if the explanation is patently obvious or if this has been discussed before.
A laser and electrical power supply are mounted to an object, and in this thought experiment, the laser perfectly converts electricity to light energy - so X watts are consumed, and exactly X watts are emitted. The laser is pointed at an observer.
The observer has a ’receiver’ that catches all of the light energy emitted by the laser, and perfectly converts it back to electricity - so Y watts of received light becomes exactly Y watts of electricity.
For the purposes of this thought experiment, the space between the laser and the receiver is perfectly transparent to the light energy - so there is zero loss there.
The object to which the laser is mounted is traveling through space toward the observer at a meaningful fraction of the speed of light - say a speed at which a substantial doppler shift occurs.
If I understand the basics of EM radiation correctly (perhaps a big ’if’): (a) to the observer and their receiver, the doppler shifted light will be at a higher frequency than the frequency at which it was emitted, and (b) at the given amplitude said higher frequency light will be more energetic, thus the received watts Y will be greater than the transmitted watts X.
So, where does the additional energy come from? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Hi,
I currently have an external HDD that will not mount, but is readable in Disk Utility.
I recently bought two 4TB Seagate external HDDs (STGX4000400) to be used as mirrored backups of two existing identical Seagate drives. I formatted them to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and started consolidating archived data into folders. I planned to move all data from the old drives to these new ones, then make a mirrored copy onto the old drives. I also had data on a 2TB Seagate external HDD which required reorganising everything before the backup.
I had four 4TB HDDs, one 2TB HDD and one 2TB SSD connected through a powered 7 port USB-A hub at the time issues began. I was transferring ~2TB of data between unrelated HDDs. To begin with, the drive started displaying ~3.5TB of data on the drive when only ~2TB had been copied to it. The other new drive also had issues but was solved by reformatting.
This drive no longer shows in Finder but is readable by Disk Utility. I can hea feel the drive spin-up and the exterior light flashes. I'm unable to run First Aid or mount the drive in Disk Utility. All drives are connected to my 13" MacBook Pro. I've tried leaving it connected to my Mac for over 24 hours. I've tried resetting the NVRAM/PRAM on my Mac. The drive does not show on Windows machines.
Any help is much appreciated, even if it's pointing me to the best data recovery solutions! (UK based)

Hi Friends,
We know you are still waiting for our Freya Update, while working on it’s prototypes, we can’t wait sharing our Aurora’s progress with you too :) In this hot summer, let’s add these lovely cute Aurora boards and Pads to our shelves!

Aurora V2 Renders

Aurora is created by hobbyists for hobbyists ever since it’s birth in 2020, after experiencing two previous rounds and making our other boards, we have been listening to new features requirements and also come to new understanding for our designs.

What we look forward from Aurora

• A comfortable and pleasing daily driver to work with
• A playable tool for fun and custom typing feel
• A light compact portable board to move around easily

What’s New We Bring with Aurora V2

• New Translucent and Solid colorway
• Tri-mode PCB with RGB
• Aluminium and PC Stitched plate
• 2D and 3D badge
• Aurora Num pad

The structural design idea - Adding more flexibility for mounting structure design and differentiate typing feel for mods and alphas. We replace gasket foams with gasket sleeves, so that we can choose gasket hardness or not to use at all, and add daughter board for PCB to give it more flex. However, we have found that most gasket mounted keyboards have a commonly seen problem - mod keys are too soft and difficult to press on. Therefore, we have partitioned the plate. The PC and aluminum structure makes mod keys stiffer, powerful and sound full, while the alphas enjoy the soft flex from normal PC plate.

Tri-mode PCB with RGB

Update from PCB with daughter board integration to daughter board and PCB separation type. Furthermore, the PCB of Aurora V2 is upgraded to tri-mode with RGB.

Aluminium and PC Stitched plate

The plate of Aurora V2 will be upgraded from the traditional PC plate to aluminium and PC Stitched plat design.

2D and 3D badge designs

Our designer @VAMP has designed these beautiful badge for V2.

• Aurora V2 - 3D Badge
• Aurora V2 - 2D Badges

Aurora num pad

Aurora V2 adds a matching color numeric pad as an option. It can improve the work efficiency and at the same time let you experience a different kind of customization.

Aurora V2 Keyboard Kit Specifications

• Layout: 68%
• Typing angle: 7 degrees
• Front Height: 20.5mm
• Dimension: 345.6x 112.2 x 33 (mm)
• Case material: Injection molded Polycarbonate
• Mounting Method: Gasket Mount
• Aurora V2 Keyboard Explosion Diagram

PCB Specifications

• Hot-swap PCB: 1.2mm thick, flex cuts
• Per-key RGB
• With daughterboard
• Support ISO & ANSI
• Support Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4G Hz
• VIA compatible
• ESD Protection

Multi-Layout

ANSI, ISO, split spacebars, step caps lock, split right shift, split backspace

Aurora Pad

Aurora Pad - Amethyst Color Renders

Aurora Pad Specifications

• Layout: 17%
• Typing angle: 6.5 degrees
• Front Height: 20.7mm
• Dimension: 112.2x 93.6 x 33 (mm)
• Weight: 240g
• Case material: Injection molded Polycarbonate
• Mounting Method: Gasket Mount
• Aurora V2 Pad Explosion Diagram

PCB Specifications

• Hot-swap PCB: 1.2mm thick, non-flex cuts
• Per-key RGB
• With daughterboard
• Support Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4G Hz
• VIA compatible
• ESD Protection

Davy Jones' Locker for Aurora V2

We are so excited to work with the designer of GMK DAVY JONES'LOCKER to bring out the Aurora V2 x DAVY JONES'LOCKER collaboration. Welcome to join the Davy Jones' Locker for Aurora V2 discord server and share more ideas.

Aurora V2 - Community Badge Design Contest

We were really impressed by so many aesthetic designs from R1 and R2, and we would love to continue to host such contest and welcome more designs again! And this time, we have both 2D and 3D!

More details here

Thoughts and Ideas

We need your vote to help us proceed! We’d love to know

• Colors you like
  
• Badges you want
  
• Aluminium Aurora or not
  

Please fill in Aurora V2 IC form, join our Discord for more frequent updates!

Want a collab with Aurora board?

If you are a designer and would love to have an Aurora board collab, please email [email protected] or contact our discord @ Harry Vic Wuque. Studio#7057 Or, have a collab you want to see with Aurora? Please leave us comment or fill in our IC form :)
Thank you!

these are my current specs and was wondering what I should upgrade and to what
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 6 Cores, 12 Threads up to 4.3GHz
MB: a320m
RAM: 16GB RGB DDR4 Dual Channel 2X8GB
Storage: 1TB M.2
GPU: RTX 3060 8GB
PSU: 550W, White GPU Cable Sleeve included!
COOLER: 120mm Vertical mount Deep Cool cooler
LIGHTS: 3x RGB System Fans

Timestamp: https://i.imgur.com/bBV2AGC.jpg
All pics
Aimpoint CompM4s - $550. GAFS catch-and-release from a while back. Comes with QRP2 mount, spacer, lens caps, and screw-in ARD. In good condition but please note:

• Does not come with the box or manual
• There is a small blemish in the top right quadrant of the front lens. See Pic. I can't see it at all unless I specifically focus on it.
• There is a light scuff on the rear see-through lens. See Pic
  
• Does not come with short screws for mounting directly to the QRP2. Only comes with longer screws to use with the spacer
  

Aimpoint M4s Flip-up front cover with ARD Filter -$45 . Has some minimal wear from attaching and removing from the sight.
Geissele Super Precision Comp M4 mount - $85. Some light wear from attaching and removing sight. Comes with screws to mount directly to CompM4. Also comes with extended screws to use the 9mm spacer that comes with the CompM4s. This brings the CompM4/s optical axis to 1.89", which is close enough to be compatible with 1.93" height optics.
I'll drop $10 for each additional item purchased (i.e., buy 1 thing - it's full price, buy 2 items - sum the costs and subtract $10, buy all 3 items - $660 shipped & insured.)
Not currently looking for any trades. If you are interested, please post a comment here and also PM me. Dibs take priority.
Payment through paypal. Listed prices include shipping costs. If buyer wants G&S protection, buyer pays the fee. Please do not leave any notes on the paypal transaction. Show quoted text

Hi Friends,
We know you are still waiting for our Freya Update, while working on it’s prototypes, we can’t wait sharing our Aurora’s progress with you too :) In this hot summer, let’s add these lovely cute Aurora boards and Pads to our shelves!

Aurora V2 Renders

Aurora is created by hobbyists for hobbyists ever since it’s birth in 2020, after experiencing two previous rounds and making our other boards, we have been listening to new features requirements and also come to new understanding for our designs.

What we look forward from Aurora

• A comfortable and pleasing daily driver to work with
• A playable tool for fun and custom typing feel
• A light compact portable board to move around easily

What’s New We Bring with Aurora V2

• New Translucent and Solid colorway
• Tri-mode PCB with RGB
• Aluminium and PC Stitched plate
• 2D and 3D badge
• Aurora Num pad

The structural design idea - Adding more flexibility for mounting structure design and differentiate typing feel for mods and alphas. We replace gasket foams with gasket sleeves, so that we can choose gasket hardness or not to use at all, and add daughter board for PCB to give it more flex. However, we have found that most gasket mounted keyboards have a commonly seen problem - mod keys are too soft and difficult to press on. Therefore, we have partitioned the plate. The PC and aluminum structure makes mod keys stiffer, powerful and sound full, while the alphas enjoy the soft flex from normal PC plate.

Tri-mode PCB with RGB

Update from PCB with daughter board integration to daughter board and PCB separation type. Furthermore, the PCB of Aurora V2 is upgraded to tri-mode with RGB.

Aluminium and PC Stitched plate

The plate of Aurora V2 will be upgraded from the traditional PC plate to aluminium and PC Stitched plat design.

2D and 3D badge designs

Our designer @VAMP has designed these beautiful badge for V2.

• Aurora V2 - 3D Badge
• Aurora V2 - 2D Badges

Aurora num pad

Aurora V2 adds a matching color numeric pad as an option. It can improve the work efficiency and at the same time let you experience a different kind of customization.

Aurora V2 Keyboard Kit Specifications

• Layout: 68%
• Typing angle: 7 degrees
• Front Height: 20.5mm
• Dimension: 345.6x 112.2 x 33 (mm)
• Case material: Injection molded Polycarbonate
• Mounting Method: Gasket Mount
• Aurora V2 Keyboard Explosion Diagram

PCB Specifications

• Hot-swap PCB: 1.2mm thick, flex cuts
• Per-key RGB
• With daughterboard
• Support ISO & ANSI
• Support Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4G Hz
• VIA compatible
• ESD Protection

Multi-Layout

ANSI, ISO, split spacebars, step caps lock, split right shift, split backspace

Aurora Pad

Aurora Pad - Amethyst Color Renders

Aurora Pad Specifications

• Layout: 17%
• Typing angle: 6.5 degrees
• Front Height: 20.7mm
• Dimension: 112.2x 93.6 x 33 (mm)
• Weight: 240g
• Case material: Injection molded Polycarbonate
• Mounting Method: Gasket Mount
• Aurora V2 Pad Explosion Diagram

PCB Specifications

• Hot-swap PCB: 1.2mm thick, non-flex cuts
• Per-key RGB
• With daughterboard
• Support Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4G Hz
• VIA compatible
• ESD Protection

Davy Jones' Locker for Aurora V2

We are so excited to work with the designer of GMK DAVY JONES'LOCKER to bring out the Aurora V2 x DAVY JONES'LOCKER collaboration. Welcome to join the Davy Jones' Locker for Aurora V2 discord server and share more ideas.

Aurora V2 - Community Badge Design Contest

We were really impressed by so many aesthetic designs from R1 and R2, and we would love to continue to host such contest and welcome more designs again! And this time, we have both 2D and 3D!

More details here

Thoughts and Ideas

We need your vote to help us proceed! We’d love to know

• Colors you like
  
• Badges you want
  
• Aluminium Aurora or not
  

Please fill in Aurora V2 IC form, join our Discord for more frequent updates!

Want a collab with Aurora board?

If you are a designer and would love to have an Aurora board collab, please email [email protected] or contact our discord @ Harry Vic Wuque. Studio#7057 Or, have a collab you want to see with Aurora? Please leave us comment or fill in our IC form :)
Thank you!

been listening to this MASTERPIECE on repeat since yesterday.
it has to be one of the best releases since "Wasting Light"!
So, who plays the drums in "The Teacher"?

>**What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.** Mostly playing videogames, but those videogames are more CPU-intensive than GPU-intensive, for example, Crusader Kings, Stellaris, Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress, etc., or just don't require much in the way of graphics in general, like Final Fantasy XIV, League of Legends, Legends of Runeterra or Mount and Blade. I am comfortable staying in 1080 resolution, as I don't plan on getting a massive screen (24 inches is the maximum I would get). >**What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?** Ideally 1600EUR, can go up to 2000EUR if it's really worth it, but would rather not (taxes are already included in pcpartpicker for Spain, the budget includes taxes too, so nothing that goes over 1600/2000EUR in pcpartpicker). >**When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.** In the next few days, although I am not in a hurry. >**What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\)** Tower, one monitor and a keyboard (numpad required). >**Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?** Spain. >**If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.** Mouse: Logitech G600 >**Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?** No. >**Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)** Monitor no larger than 24". Keyboard must have numpad. At least 4 USB ports. >**Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?** I don't care about aesthetics at all, but I would prefer it if my PC was easy to clean and had great refrigeration, it is hot and dusty where I live (say, a 7 out of 10 where 10 is living in a sand desert). >**Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?** No.
​
Thank you for any help!

these are my current specs and was wondering what I should upgrade and to what
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 6 Cores, 12 Threads up to 4.3GHz
MB: a320m
RAM: 16GB RGB DDR4 Dual Channel 2X8GB
Storage: 1TB M.2
GPU: RTX 3060 8GB
PSU: 550W, White GPU Cable Sleeve included!
COOLER: 120mm Vertical mount Deep Cool cooler
LIGHTS: 3x RGB System Fans

Hello MM!
Timestamp
EDIT: ALL SOLD
Clearing out my collection some, so it’s time to let go of some things.
Prices include shipping. Trying to keep it to the US50 for now. May open for international later.
GMK Laser - $50 Album
Honestly, I bought this so long ago I don’t even remember the kit names anymore. These are from the first round. It has the blue-on-blue latin/katakana alphas, the icon mods, spacebars, and novelties. I also have the orange on blue WASD, and the semi-transparent WASD/novelties. Also, have a couple of “Dex” artisans. Again, I don’t remember the names, so I apologize. I am like 99% sure it’s a complete set but correct me if I’m wrong. I mounted them once on a 75% like 3 years ago.
GMK Pulse - $20 Album
Bought off of Drop a couple of years ago. I guess the kit came with split spacebars but I never used them and it looks like I am missing one (I think it’s the 1.75u cap). Mounted and used once.
GMK Hammerhead Light - $60 Album
Bought them from the extras drop. It’s the base kit, spacebars, and 40s kit. Mounted and used a couple of times.
Or take all three for $105.
As always, comment before PM. Please don’t use chat. Thanks!

My budget is 140k and I will pay 4K to 16K depending on how well the job is done
What I am looking for is as follows
Colors: Baby Pink, White, & Gold

• Realistic

Exterior design: * Large French Country Style

• Five story
  
• 2 car garage
  
• Whole house is stone or brick
  
• Numerous wall trim details especially white wood panels
  
• Numerous interior locations for stone & brick (an entire wall, a hallway, cased openings, etc.)
  
• Exotic tile like white marble
  

Exterior features:

• Specialty landscape items like water features, dry creek beds, etc.
• Many trees (preferably palm ones)
  
• Wrap around Porch
  
• Porch Swing
  
• Patio
  
• Gas Lanterns
  
• Large Entertaining Area with tv
  
• Outdoor Kitchen with Oven
  
• Sustainable Food/Herb Garden With lots of planters and a hose
  
• Good Lighting
  
• Security Cameras all around the house
  
• Courtyard with fountain
  
• Governor’s Driveway/ circle driveway
  
• Lots of Natural Lights
  
• Large Windows
  
• Window Seat/ Bay window
  
• Arched Doorways
  
• French Doors
  
• Wide Doors
  
• Wide Hallways
  
• Large Family Room, Kitchen, Dining Room for Family Gatherings
  

Lighting: * Beautiful Chandeliers
Kitchen must haves:

• Large Island
  
• Double Island
  
• Marble Countertops
  
• Waterfall Countertop
  
• White Cabinets
  
• Gold Hardware
  
• Huge Dish Cabinet with Glass Doors
  
• Kitchen Linens Closet
  
• Farm style sink
  
• Window above Sink
  
• Hidden baby pink Microwave
  
• 2 pink baby pink Dishwashers
  
• Custom Baby pink hood
  
• Oven
  
• Coffee Machine
  
• Refrigerator
  
• Blender
  
• 2 trash cans
  

Pantry:

• Door from Pantry to Garage
  
• Sink
  
• Second Fridge
  

Dining room:

• Fireplace
  
• Closet for guest Linens and Dishes
  
• Large for Family Gatherings
  

Laundry room:

• Laundry Shoot
  
• Folding Counter or Island
  
• Ironing board
  
• Washing machines and dryer etc
  

Mud Space near front door: * Lockers for each family member

• Storage Shelves for Shoes

Master Bedroom:

• Fireplace
  
• Balcony
  
• TV at Foot of the Bed
  
• Private Sitting Room Attached
  

Master closet: * Large Walk in closet

• Shoe Wall (made with pictures or a bunch of slippers)
  
• Dressing Room
  
• Sunglass Drawer
  
• Jewelry holders
  
• Luxurious Carpet
  
• Chandelier
  

Master bathroom: * Toilets

• Bidet
  
• Steam ShoweSauna
  
• Shower Head
  
• Gold Faucets
  
• Seat in shower
  
• Makeup Counter or Vanity
  
• 2 Sinks
  

Garage: * Recycling Center with 2 trash cans

• 2 Car Garage
  
• Extra Tall Garage Doors
  
• Cabinets for Storage
  
• Door to Backyard
  

Other: * Bar

• Room for indoor pool and jet pool
  
• Fitness room/home gym
  
• Game room with Billard table
  
• Home library
  
• Mud room
  
• Spa room
  
• Home Theater
  
• Office/Study Room
  
• Nursery
  

Strider's Edge, the straight-up best fanfiction I've ever read. You don't even need to know Homestuck to read and love it, but you will need tissues.
Ἀληθῆ διηγήματα: a satire upon Strider's Edge, for when you're done with that and need something light.
The Vienna Game, by the Author of Strider's Edge. A cyberpunk AU; IMO doesn't live up to SE, but still worth a read.
Double-Death Of The Author, which is basically: What if the stuff following John and Roxy leaving LOWAS... was GOOD? Seriously this fic fixes the goddamn ending of Homestuck. The Pesterlogs are loooong, but again, if you can stomach that, they plotted out the perfect ending to Homestuck. The second-best fic here IMO.
Promstuck, an illustrated JohnKat fic/AU and a Fandom classic.
John Egbert and the Goblet of Sick Fires, an illustrated Harry Potter AU, unfinished.
Midnight Flush, a roughly illustrated largely fluffy JadeKat comic.
Altstuck, by the same Author as the above, and their attempt at what DDOTA did. IMO not as well, but the effort must be respected.
SBURB Done Quick, a brilliant little Fanventure showing how a SBURB speedrun would work.
the fizzcourse, a hilarious little fic in which an implication of the Kids' geography is explored.
Detective Pony, a defictionalization of an in-universe work that accidentally ends up foreshadowing the events of Post-Canon. Fascinating, especially as an insight into Dirk.
Theatre Of Coolty and its video adaptation, because hey speaking of fascinating insights into Dirk that only got more relevant post-Canon.
Cultstuck!, an AU delving into some unexplored aspects of Canon. Karkat-centric. Part of a series with the last entry unlikely to be finished.
House Of Dirk, a picture-laden comedy fic centered around a borderline crackship. Very funny. Unfinished, though light on plot.
But I'm A Friendleader!, a cute little JohnKat fic.
poor, sweet, dear, precious fefeta, a short exploration of the horror inherent to the fused Sprites.
Love Letters In Digital Ink, a perfectly decent fluffy RoseMary AU longfic.
Three Exiles, Slightly Broken, a short fic exploring, well, the Exiles.
Underworld, a series of shipfics in an original-mythology AU. The Rose one is excellent, the Jade one is quite good, the John and final ones are okay, the Dave one is... not good IMO.
Asteroid Docking Procedures, fluffy semi-long JohnKat with some xenoporn.
Brainbent, a loose collection of pieces of a very interesting and amusing AU, albeit one that distorts some character dynamics due to the premise.
The Gods Have Horns, a view into a world where the Trolls rule over our universe. Fascinating work with some (IMO justified) OOC.
Twelve Gods, a short, beautiful, poetic work with a similar premise to the above. Probably third-best on this list.
John Egbert's Uncooperative Junk, short, smutty, hilarious JohnDave.
Why, a short, heartbreaking character exploration for John and his father touching on a forgotten aspect of Canon.
English is a Beetch, a short DaveKat fluff fic exploring the idea of Troll language.
Crow Strider AU, a fanventure that delves into Davesprite's character quite well, but IMO falls off after part 1/the first 523 Pages.
Alchemical Components Of The Divine (Or: How To Safely Murder Your Friends For Fun And Profit), a Meteorstuck longfic, probably the funniest of them all, easily number four.
Space Bro, a semi-longfic from the subgenre of Homestuck fics that sprung up in between learning what the Scratch was and seeing it actually happen. This is THE SolKat fic, and rounds out my top five on this list.

Time stamp https://imgur.com/a/ckLAUA3
Looking to sell an unfired BCM BFH 14.5 P/W factory upper. No rounds fired, only had accessories mounted as seen from light scuffs on rail. Pinned and welded BCM A2x flash hider from factory. Still has some factory goo on it, comes with BCM QD sling mount. Asking for $675 with a Ruger BCG (120 rounds through) and milspec charging handle or $620 without. I take PayPal, Dibs rules.
https://imgur.com/a/ckLAUA3

Although I am a lowly peasant who did not receive Ashava’s mount during the server slam, I am lucky enough to live on the West Coast of the U.S., so I’ll be loading up at 4pm today! 💪🏽💪🏽
Where is everyone at and have you finally picked a main yet?? What are you picking and why? I tried every class through the beta’s and server slam and still can’t decide whether I want a Sorcerer or Rogue as my main…Please give me your input on either or insight on why you’re going another route.
With that, I genuinely wish everybody a great weekend filled with lots of shiny drops and many hours of that great feeling of excitement that only a huge release like Diablo brings!
🎶Exit light, Enter night, Take my hand, We're off to never-never land🎶

I remember our first meeting on the steps of the University - a collegial handshake that would doom us both. Your insightful questions during my lectures gave me pause, and I recognized in you something... of a kindred spirit. Despite our differences in age and position, we shared a keen fascination for archaeology, folklore, and of course, occultism.
Interminable faculty socials became something of a delight, knowing we'd abscond to a quiet table and lose ourselves in riveting discussion and passionate debate. Between semesters, we would spend our days rambling the woods, talking excitedly of esoteric theory and ancient mysteries.
We spent long nights immersed in crumbling, worm-eaten volumes, plumbing the forbidden secrets of antiquity. The university's resources were impressive and yet, on occasion we relished in... firsthand experience. Commonalities between the mythos of ancient cultures was not a new area of study for either of us, but it was there that we first noticed the pattern.
You were my brightest student, my research partner, and my dearest friend.
It was you who found the cypher, scribbled hastily in the decaying margins of some long-forgotten tome. Scribbled... in blood. Whether by providence or happenstance, we stumbled upon the mark of some strange power invoked the world over, reflected in cultures predating mankind itself…
The Iron Crown... enigmatic, and ubiquitous. A semicircle, radiating five points of power - a symbol hidden deep in the iconography of every ancient empire.
Your vociferous calls to bring our findings before the faculty were dangerously premature. Given the gaps in our understanding, doing so would risk ridicule, or worse, robbery. I took no pleasure in asserting my seniority - stifling your protestations with a strict mandate of absolute secrecy. You acquiesced, but your plaintive susurrations betrayed a burgeoning resentment.
I understood your eagerness to build a reputation, and it pained me greatly to hold you back. We had managed to grasp a thread of connective worship - that stretched across vast gulfs of time and tribe. but we did not understand it. We required the highest standard of empirical evidence, lest my career and your future be compromised by the cynicism of our peers. The subsequent months were measured in melted candles, and mounting disappointments. Time and time again, I impressed upon you that any adulation afforded us would be fleeting if we could not properly defend our findings. You mistook my abundance of caution for a lack of confidence, and would perseverate on your grievances at length.
The blaze began in the east wing of the Great Library. Within hours, the entirety of our effort lay in a smoldering, ashen heap. I braced against your rancorous buffeting, avowing a certain hesitant relief at our freedom from that mocking sigil. The uncanny arrival of the letter, however, heralded a new, pernicious phase of our investigation...
We set out immediately into the kaleidoscopic wilds of the countryside, and by sundown, reached the remote manor whose whereabouts formed the sole contents of that cryptic invitation. At the behest of our charismatic host, we feasted beneath a banner of the Iron Crown; questioned exhaustively by an eager cabal of masked delegates.
The house was scattered with ancient rarities and timeworn artifacts - all bearing that damnable emblem that had come to dominate our thoughts. Our host assured us of the group’s anthropological values, but I sensed his designs extended well beyond the theoretical. Eyes wild beneath their masks, the assembled devotees shared their terrible theories of timeless extradimensional intelligences of forces beyond human comprehension...

 As the night wore on, circles were drawn carefully in chalk, and salt was laid upon the floor. This was not research, it was ritual. And I could not stifle my repulsion. They lit black candles and chanted rhythmically in the guttural tongues of long-forgotten tribes. Even now, I can hear the echoes of those awful invocations. At my insistence, we retired to our room, where I countered your excitement by clearly outlining the vulnerability of our position. Reason prevailed, and we elected to block the door with a large dresser. 

We awoke to an empty house. The garroted bodies of the attendees lay around the basement dais, each prostrate along a point of the Crown; our host conspicuously absent. I could scarcely countenance such obscenity, but you were transfixed, eyes ablaze with inspiration. The failed ritual would become your obsession - from that pivotal moment, you were blind to all else.
Refusing enrollment in the fall, you took up in that moldering brownstone, where I joined you in a vain attempt to assuage your aspirations. Now free from academic oversight and moral restraint, you vowed to reach into the blackest depths of the occult sciences and be the first to grasp the secret of the Iron Crown. The polarity between us reversed - I became your reluctant assistant in dozens of deplorable experiments, crushed in the grip of your ambition.
Desperate to somehow help you regain yourself, I prepared a breakfast, and an urgent appeal. My words fell on deaf ears; the food flung to the floor. Your appetites demanded more than I could hope to provide. The walls of the place closed tight about us, and it seemed at times that the outside world was a dream we could scarcely remember. At night I could hear you shuffling about the house, muttering with diabolic intent.
The Crown was a hateful and ravenous thing - it had consumed our careers, our lives, and our friendship. And still, it hungered... You attempted to map the geometric proportions of the Crown to frequencies of sound, and in the resulting silence, our ears welled with blood. You calibrated prisms along the points of the Crown, cackling in smug satisfaction as wavelengths of hideous and indescribable light burned our eyes.
Unable to suffer your unprincipled overreach any longer, I made ready to depart; imploring you to rejoin me in more wholesome pursuits. Instead, you babbled of impossible measurements, ushering me down into the bolted cellar. In the dim light, I recoiled at the preparations you had made. Four bodies, laid out along the lateral points of the Crown. As the dagger's blade revealed itself through my chest, I understood I was to be the fifth.
A precise arrangement, the sacrifice of conscience, the abandonment of self the Iron Crown had found its king. Upon your furrowed brow, the mathematics of our existence, the geometry of the cosmos - an ephemeral equation wholly expressed in negative space. To invoke its power was to refactor the most fundamental underpinnings of our fragile dimension, to imprint one's mind upon reality itself...
The wind blew sour, the oceans roiled. The earth shuddered at the coming change. What world could be born of a mind so sharpened by appetence? Our world convulses, stretched and torn by the emptiness that surrounds it. Mankind became a mockery - his newly horrid outlines a twisted tribute to the shape of your flaws. Newborn horrors, spawn of the crown, imprinted with your insatiable, reaching hunger. This existential dissolution is born of you, and only you can do what must be done to stop it…
Here, at the nexus of ruin, loathing poured forth from the darkest recesses of your mind. Your failures took form, and the world bowed in honor of your great wretchedness. The stain of your bankruptcy frayed the very fabric of our dimension. But you were afraid to face what you had wrought, and fled down the long road of your memories. Hiding yourself away. I remember our first meeting on the steps of the University... You were golden, lit from within by the glow of potential. Finally, my friend, I would see that potential realized. It is time to reclaim the world from your weakness. Meet your derelictions with blazing defiance! The Equation must be balanced. Gaze now upon your great achievement - the sum total of your failings. Your Body of Work. To destroy the thing is to destroy yourself, but the world will spring anew from the memory you kept of it.

I was born in Chennai but my family shifted when I was barely 6 months old so I have no recollection whatsoever of living there. However, I have always had a soft spot for the city and enjoyed every single visit.
If all things go right, I have just over a year left in India and I might visit Chennai at least 3 more times by then.
I have a great affinity for Colonial era buildings and in my opinion no other Southern city comes close to providing this experience.
I made a rough bucket list of things to do in Chennai and I have completed quite a bit of it last year. Most of them were first time experiences. These are the things I have done so far -

1. Walked the entire 'main' (at least in my books) stretch of Mount Road, from Thousand Lights to Buhari.
2. Window shopping at Higginbothams.
3. Tried the OG Chicken 65 (among other famous evening snacks like the Samsa, Bun Butter Jam) at Buhari.
4. Visited famous religious sites like Triplicane Parthasarathy temple, Mylapore Kapaleeshwarar temple, Santhome Church.
5. Drank rose milk from Kalathi Newspaper Mart.
6. Had the Caramel Custard at Ninan's.
7. Visited the Lighthouse.
8. Visited Valluvar Kottam.
9. Visited Semmozhi Poonga.
10. Watched a movie at Satyam.
11. Visited Egmore museum.
12. Visited the old General Post Office at Parry's Corner and had Atho.
13. Walked the entire 'main' stretch of Marina beach, right from Napier's Bridge to Lighthouse.
14. Rode on the Metro, Suburban, and the MRTS.
15. Watched the sun rise at Besant Nagar.
16. Visited a few eateries at KNK.
17. Walked around for a bit in Pondy Bazaar.
18. Witnessed an honest auto anna using meter (shocking, I know).
19. Watched the planes taking off from St. Thomas Mount.

These are the things that are remaining in my (constantly updating) bucket list now -

1. Grab a cup of coffee at the newly opened Starbucks at Kathipara Urban Square. (I know Starbucks isn't really anything special but I really like the architecural design of it, plus I have never visited the Urban Square.)
2. Visit Vandalur Zoo.
3. Watch a movie at the airport PVR.
4. If the Villivakkam lake rejuvenation gets completed, then take a walk on the hanging bridge.
5. The last time I went to the Anna Nagar Tower Park, the tower was closed off and I recently heard that its now open again, so this one too.
6. If the museum at Victoria public hall is opened, then visit that.
7. Watch a CSK match at Chepauk. (Coincidentally, this is my 7th item in the list, Thala for a reason)

I can't really think of anything else right now, so I figured who better to ask than the locals. What else do you think I should add in this list? I have already visited most of the important sights at ECR, so I would prefer something inside the city. Anything ranging from food to historical places is fine by me.