Re: Google Earth Pour Windows Xp 32 Bits
Leana Eckes
I pump nano into my bloodstream to alleviate my creeping osteoarthritis and nod to a few fellow holdouts. We take our strolls through these dusty streets at ten every morning, our little act of rebellion against the mandatory evacuation orders. I wave hello to Marta, ninety-six, in her stylishly pink ox-mask. I shake hands with Dr. Wu, who performed the op to insert my cranial when I was a boy. I smile at Cordelia, one hundred and thirty-three, as she trots by on her quad servo-legs. All of us have lived in New Paltz our entire lives and all of us plan to die here.
I search inside the house and return with some readimades, pretty much all you can buy on Earth these days, while the kids shudder and wobble as they inhale braino. The green-haired Lin wanders off to vomit in the trees.
Several months before I received the evac order, I visited New Earth for the first time. My son Josef played the guide and took me to the Ishibuto-Mori preserve, a dense rainforest on the northern hemisphere. Giant sequoias planted a few years ago had already grown hundreds of feet tall, carrion flowers had been gengineered to smell like cotton candy, and the rains came precisely at 2:00 p.m. every day.
My grandson blew out his candles and we all shared papaya cake. On cues from my daughter-in-law, a shining mahogany andro poured coffee, brought out cookies, and cleared the dirty dishes. I felt like a princely CEO. On Earth natural grain was absurdly expensive and hard to come by, but on New Earth it seemed as plentiful as the scheduled rain.
With a small lighter I set flame to a soaked rag. I toss it into the house. For a moment, the rag burns like a candle, guttering in a bedroom. Shadows dance across my ancient walls like memories. A pang of dread hits me. Is this really what I want?
With the stascreen shut down, the fire corkscrews freely into the sky. A column of smoke arcs away for miles, lit by the light of New Earth. Once, this would have aroused a hundred suppressor-bots into action. Now, what is another fire when all will soon be ash?
My ancient house burns to the ground. It takes a while. So I sit beside the pond. The frogs are quiet, perhaps watching the flames with me. I think of Rachael, and the promise I made to her. And I think of Lin.
At dawn, when the police arrive, the only thing left of the house is a pile of cinders. The air is foul with soot as armed men read me the evac order. They bind me in plasticuffs and escort me off my property. They seat me inside a small craft, and the young man across from me, in bulky police regalia, offers me anti-nausea nano for the trip to space. I was hoping to glimpse my property one last time as we lift off, but there are no windows. This is a prison ship.
I wonder if any of the holdouts, like Cordelia or Marta or Dr. Wu or Helen and her kitten, escaped the mandatory evacs. As they slowly floated into the sky, would they think they were flying up to meet God?
The land that was my home is shunted up to Trump-Dominguez Colony. It will be used, the datanet says, as a counter mass so the colony can maintain its highly sought-after earth-forward views. Four and a half billion years, of algae and antelope, of brontosauri and bison, of woolly mammoths and glaciers, of trees and earthworms and amphibious frogs just to become a paperweight so the rich can wake up to their plastic earth.
When an entire earth-sheltered house is built below grade or completely underground, it's called an underground structure. An atrium or courtyard design can accommodate an underground house and still provide an open feeling. Such a house is built completely below ground on a flat site, and the major living spaces surround a central outdoor courtyard. The windows and glass doors that are on the exposed walls facing the atrium provide light, solar heat, outside views, and access via a stairway from the ground level.
The exposed front of the house, usually facing south, allows the sun to light and heat the interior. The floor plan is arranged so common areas and bedrooms share light and heat from the southern exposure. This can be the least expensive and simplest way to build an earth-sheltered structure. Strategically placed skylights can ensure adequate ventilation and daylight in the northern portions of the house.
In a penetrational bermed design, earth covers the entire house, except where there are windows and doors. The house is usually built at ground level, and earth is built up (or bermed) around and on top of it. This design allows cross-ventilation and access to natural light from more than one side of the house.
On the plus side, an earth-sheltered home is less susceptible to the impact of extreme outdoor air temperatures than a conventional house. Earth-sheltered houses also require less outside maintenance, and the earth surrounding the house provides soundproofing. In addition, plans for most earth-sheltered houses "blend" the building into the landscape more harmoniously than a conventional home. Finally, earth-sheltered houses can cost less to insure because they offer extra protection against high winds, hailstorms, and natural disasters such as tornados and hurricanes.
The principal downsides to earth-sheltered houses are the initial cost of construction, which can be up to 20% more than a conventional house, and the increased level of care required to avoid moisture problems, both during construction and over the life of the house. It can also take more diligence to resell an earth-sheltered home, and buyers may have more hurdles to clear in the mortgage application process.
Studies show that earth-sheltered houses are more cost-effective in climates that have significant temperature extremes and low humidity, such as the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains. Earth temperatures vary much less than air temperatures in these areas, which means the earth can absorb extra heat from the house in hot weather or insulate the house to maintain warmth in cold weather.
The site's topography and microclimate determine how easily the building can be surrounded with earth. A modest slope requires more excavation than a steep one, and a flat site is the most demanding, needing extensive excavation. A south-facing slope in a region with moderate to long winters is ideal for an earth-sheltered building. South-facing windows can let in sunlight for direct heating, while the rest of the house is set back into the slope. In regions with mild winters and hot summers, a north-facing slope might be ideal. Careful planning by a designer familiar with earth sheltering can take full advantage of the conditions on your particular site.
The type of soil at your site is another critical consideration. Granular soils such as sand and gravel are best for earth sheltering. These soils compact well for bearing the weight of the construction materials and are very permeable, allowing water to drain quickly. The poorest soils are cohesive, like clay, which may expand when wet and has poor permeability.
Professional soil tests can determine the load-bearing capability of soils at your site. Soil radon levels are another factor to consider, because high concentrations of radon can be hazardous. There are, however, methods for reducing radon buildup in both conventional and earth-sheltered dwellings.
The groundwater level at your building site is also important. Natural drainage away from the building is the best way to avoid water pressure against underground walls, but installed drainage systems can be used to draw water away from the structure.
The construction materials for each earth-sheltered structure will vary depending on characteristics of the site and the type of design. Materials must, however, provide a good surface for waterproofing and insulation to withstand the pressure and moisture of the surrounding ground.
Concrete is the most common choice for constructing earth-sheltered buildings, because it strong, durable, and fire resistant. Concrete masonry units (also called concrete blocks) reinforced with steel bars placed in the core of the masonry can also be used, and generally cost less than cast-in-place concrete.
Wood can be used in earth-sheltered construction for both interior and light structural work. Steel can used for beams, bar joists, columns, and concrete reinforcement, but must be protected against corrosion if it is exposed to the elements or to groundwater. It is also expensive, so it must be used efficiently to be economical as a structural material.
Waterproofing can be a challenge in earth-sheltered construction. Keep in mind these three ways to reduce the risk of water damage in your house: choose the site carefully, plan the drainage both at and below the surface of the house, and waterproof your house.
Humidity levels may increase in earth-sheltered houses during the summer, which can cause condensation on the interior walls. Installing insulation on the outside of the walls will prevent the walls from cooling down to earth temperature, but can also reduce the summer cooling effect of the walls. Careful planning by a designer familiar with earth-sheltered home design can keep humidity from becoming a problem.
Although insulation in an underground building does not need to be as thick as that in a conventional house, it is necessary to make an earthen house comfortable. Insulation is usually placed on the exterior of the house after applying the waterproofing material, so the heat generated, collected, and absorbed within the earth-sheltered envelope is retained inside the building's interior. If insulating outside the wall, a protective layer of board should be added to keep the insulation from contacting the earth.
Adequate ventilation must be carefully planned in an earth-sheltered house. Combustion appliances should be sealed combustion units that have a direct source of outside air for combustion and vent combustion gases directly to the outside. In addition, avoiding indoor pollutants such as formaldehyde from foam insulation, plywood, and some fabrics can help keep indoor air healthy. An energy recovery ventilator, which exchanges heat in the outgoing exhaust air with incoming fresh air, minimizes heat loss while ensuring good indoor air quality and is a useful addition to any energy-efficient home.
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