#ECOS: First Continent

[whovian223]

November 2024 Gaming

November 2024 Gaming @bgstatsapp.bsky.social @devirgames.bsky.social

With Bottoscon at the beginning of the month, you knew that November would be chock full of gaming goodness. And it was! Maybe not quite as much as might have been otherwise, since we missed a Sunday game day and the next one had just one (really long) play of a game in it, and not a lot of work gaming was done, but it was still very full. Four days at a convention will do that. Here’s what I…

[acti-veg]

sorry for dumping this in your inbox; you’re the only person who would be even remotely sympathetic to what i have to say and i’d lose all my fandom mutuals if i posted this publicly. what i want to say is that it drives me up the wall how you cannot criticize ANYTHING about humans on here without someone calling you an ecofascist. god forbid you don’t agree that humans are “just beautiful apes who like to make art and hold hands! uwu” or “the Supreme Master Species that will singlehandedly save every other species on Earth from extinction (with no mention of the fact that we’re the reason why they are going extinct in the first place)”. even vegetarian/vegan rhetoric expressed in the most progressive, leftist terms gets branded fascism. truly anyone on tumblr who has ever reblogged any of those bullshit posts about how leather/wool/beef etc. is actually Great and Eco-friendly is just another useful idiot of carnism. all faults of the way humans relate to animals get blamed on capitalism, ignoring the fact that humans were being cruel to nonhuman animals LONG before capitalism became dominant across our society. “humans are just a species like any other so it’s okay to [act of animal cruelty that is universally accepted] because we’re part of the ecosystem!!” In what world is factory farming (or any animal ag) part of any ecosystem??? it actively destroys ecosystems. We’re not a species like any other—while I’m no fan of human extinction or governmental population reduction plans, it’s obvious that we’re a uniquely destructive species and acknowledging that doesn’t make you a fascist. In fact, fascist leaders throughout history would scoff at the idea of any other animal deserving equal consideration as humans (hitler being vegetarian does not count; he didn’t really care about the vegetarian cause, he was just a hypochondriac)

I think people have a pretty poor understanding of what ecofascism actually is, particularly on tumblr it must be said. We have this unfortunate tendency here to sort of half understand a social/political term, then we turn it into a catchphrase divorced from the original context and without any real nuance.

It is perfectly fine and in fact necessary to acknowledge the unique destructive potential and history of our species. We have more power than other species ever has, and we have wielded that power to radically reshape the earth to suit our needs. Homo sapiens wiping out most of the world’s megafauna (and possibly other sapiens as well) long preceded capitalism, and pretty much every time humans arrived on any continent or island, ecological diversity massively declines.

I actually think that the acknowledgement of these facts can be a guard against eco-fascism. When people talk about culling, a return to pre-industrial society, massively reduced population etc. we can point the fact that a vastly smaller, largely hunter gatherer human community very likely wiped out many species way before industrialisation, or even organised agriculture. We throw around a lot of ‘noble savage’ stereotypes about our ancestors and modern indigenous hunting communities, but this is really a rewriting of human pre-history to fit modern ideals about the noble Stone Age hunter living in harmony with nature. This is pure fantasy.

None of this means that humans are inherently bad or destructive as individuals. Our story not a story of a vindictive species destroying for the sake of destruction, it is a story of a species whose technological power quickly overtook our wisdom, and that is still the case now. Plenty of humans use that power for good, and plenty of us have lived ecologically successful lives without harming our wider communities. Our history should be used to inform our future, so that we can avoid making the same mistakes.

Where things start to veer into ecofascism is when we begin to brand humans as some sort of disease. When we talk about humans as an ‘invasive species that needs to be culled,’ when we blame this destruction on overpopulation or industrialisation. This all too often translates into harmful and often racist policies like forced birth control, sterilisation, and other anti-natal policies.

I think the left accuse each other of ecofascism a lot as a silencing technique, but in my experience it tends to be what happens when right wingers weave environmentalism into their ultranationalist views. Ecofascism is a harmful ideology that should be taken seriously, and that just isn’t what we’re doing when we throw the term at anyone who is trying to seriously reckon with the destructive history and potential of human animals, and our obvious exclusion from natural ecosystems.

[unsweetenedlettucewrap]

now that the drivers are talking about the strain that travel put on them and especially their teams this year, it would be a good idea to look at the 2024 f1 calendar

above is the 2024 schedule with an accompanying flight map i drew. there are so many races, too many to be honest, and the flight map is insane. there is so much backtracking over continents and the constant time changes is sure to take a toll on everyone who is travelling.

considering that the fia is not very likely to cut down on the number of races, i have proposed a hypothetical calendar for next year that is more eco friendly and more travel friendly for the drivers at their teams

there are a few things i considered

1. climate

the climate in some races means you can't just move them anywhere, but im pretty sure that this accommodates for all the climates that would effect f1

2. location & travel

obviously this takes into account travel by grouping similar locations together. this reduces the environmental impact of so much travel as much as possible, and is easier on people's bodies especially for those team members who aren't drivers travelling in private jets or first class. another reason i like this is that it means that they are in the middle east for the first two months of the season, and then they are in europe until the last full weekend in august. this allows them to spend more time with their families from march until august as they are close to where most drivers live with their families in central or western europe.

3. equipment

not to get into specifics but i was looking into how they transport the spare car parts and the pits themselves, and how it works right now is usually there's an asia/australia cargo ship, an americas cargo ship, and a middle east cargo ship for out of europe races. the way this schedule works out is the ships can move back and forth between places without sticking to this schedule but still getting there in time (i have more thoughts on this i can elaborate if necessary)

things i consider to be hinderances:

1. start/end races

obviously it's still starting in the same place in bahrain but i didn't end it in abu dhabi. of course this is easily fixed by just putting abu dhabi after suzuka, although that's a rough journey

2. brazil to australia

the other thing is that there is a double header that ends up being brazil to australia, but this can be fixed again by moving mexico city and brazil back by two weeks so the break in the fall happens between brazil and australia instead of vegas and mexico on the adjusted calendar

this will never happen, the fia doesn't care about it's drivers and their teams, but i can dream right?

[radioactivepeasant]

Oops the Free Day Thursday got Long, so you get multiple parts

Part 1

Part Two Here

(Warnings for Angst and brief description of injuries)

To be the king of Spargus was to all but ensure a violent death eventually. Whether by the hands of a challenger, a metalhead, or simply the desert herself turning her back on one who previously had her favor, all kings met their end one way or another. Most took a blasé approach to their own mortality, so long as they could ensure they died in battle like any Spargan worth remembering.

Damas son of Arez was no different.

All things considered, there were far worse deaths -- not that this one was very pleasant. He'd successfully defended his city against corrupted minor deities, and he'd taken out so many in the rescue of the boys that the Dark Makers had resorted to a missile to ultimately kill him. That was the kind of thing that made it into songs and legends. Especially when the most important reason to fight walked away from the crash unharmed.

Having followed his gut, and subsequently having had the opportunity to watch Jak blossom into one of the most formidable Wastelanders the continent had ever seen, Damas felt he could die with fewer regrets than most.

What father worth his water wouldn't be at peace knowing he got to see his son surpass him before he died?

Even if they'd never acknowledged it aloud.

Jak knew, in his heart. He knew what the armor meant, and he'd accepted it without reservation. Damas had seen in his eyes that Jak understood, he understood what he'd left unsaid, but he feared saying it out loud lest it all vanish like a broken spell. And to think the boy had worried about not having a gift for him! As if it was not gift enough that he accepted the bond between them!

Damas heard Jak shout his name, even as he knew his time was growing short. But here, in the razor-sharp margin between life and death, something had changed. Perhaps it was their proximity to the catacombs. Or perhaps it was because he carried the blood of Mar. Perhaps there was no reason at all, mere happenstance. But as he lay crushed beneath the Slam Dozer, Damas felt eco tug at his body with a strength he had never experienced before. Ironic that he should find the power his ancestors wielded at the moment of death.

Light swirled through the earth beneath him, far below the blighted soil. Pure time, stretched into thread and unspooled into the wells of the earth to bring life and healing to whatever it touched.

"I'm...very proud to have been by your side, in the end. Proud of you." Damas pushed the words out of lungs that could barely expand. He took his previous assessment back: this was one of the most irritating ways to go he could think of.

Jak started to get up, promising help -- he was panicking. Damas had never seen Jak panic before. But he didn't blame him. Instead, he caught Jak's hand and pulled him back down. Jak hissed in pain, and Damas realized the boy wasn't as unscathed as he'd thought. He was favoring his left arm and his ribs, and blood ran down his face.

The eco of the planet hummed in Damas’s ears, deafeningly loud. Waiting, just within reach.

The choice was almost too easy to make.

"Promise me one thing, please," he said, tightening his grip on Jak’s hand even as his trapped fingers dug deep into the soil. "Promise me you'll find your brother."

He ignored Jak's sharp intake of breath. "Find my son, Mar. You'll know him when you s- see this-"

For just one moment, Damas released his adopted son's hand to retrieve his old amulet from his belt, doing his best to push through the sharp agony that shot through his chest and torso at even that much movement. He placed the amulet in Jak’s hand, but did not let go.

Just five seconds. That's all I need.

"He's wearing an amulet just like this. A symbol of our family: the House of Mar."

Through the gray stealing across the corners of his vision, Damas saw Jak's face twist, first in confusion, then recognition. He recognized the amulet! But Damas never wore it publicly. Then-

Hope spread through the wreck of Damas’s body, shuttling the pain away to a distant corner of his mind. He knows something! He's seen Mar!

In that moment of elation, the light eco at last responded to his call. In a flood, it poured from the earth and into his body. It could have healed him, it would have been simple. But Damas’s focus was elsewhere. He poured the pocket of life through the amulet and into Jak. It burned through their veins like fever, but once it passed there was vacuum. Void. And Damas could feel it tugging greedily at his mind.

"Stop! You- you don't have a focus ring, it's too much!" Jak gripped his hand, skin steadily darkening to match the sky as he tried to diffuse the eco.

Around them, tiny blades of grass began to push up through the polluted dirt as the damage to the soil began to rewind. Daxter let out a panicked yell that sounded a little deeper than normal.

"What are you doing?!"

"When you find your little brother, tell him we never gave up looking for him."

Damas’s voice buzzed oddly as the raw energy seeped into his throat.

He smiled softly.

"He's...going to love you. And Daxter."

Even that many words were a struggle. He could barely make out anything around him. He couldn't feel his body. He couldn't see. He barely made out one word before the world splintered into starlight.

"Father!"

_____________<><><><><><>______________

Being dead, Damas decided, was very disorienting. If he was dead. He didn't see any ancestors yelling at him for losing Haven city, or Precursors, anyway. He followed the twisting, glittering lights -- not through any will of his own, but drawn along in their wake. Time, if it existed in this plane, was fully out of joint. He saw islands floating in a sickly green sky, just beyond the flickering vortex he seemed to be inside. He would have shuddered if he'd had a body.

Now and then he heard voices -- mostly unintelligible, and none he recognized. But he drifted towards them nonetheless. The light eco seemed to have set him on a predetermined path like a cart on a rail, and his consciousness would not settle into place until it had stopped rewinding...whatever was left to undo when he was no more than a disembodied spirit.

"Damas? Come on, speak to me! Damas!"

Hm. That wasn't Jak. In fact, it almost sounded like-

"Don't you do this to me, boss. I'm not losing both of you in the same month! Snap out of it!"

The ghost of a sensation -- Daxter would have appreciated the pun that crossed his mind -- brushed against where Damas’s shoulders ought to have been. As the light drew him inexorably further down the vortex, the voice grew clearer, and the pressure on his spirit more tangible.

"Seem, get over here! He just- he just flatlined! Don't you dare, Damas, don't you dare die on me-!"

"But I'm already dead?" Damas murmured in confusion. Somehow, this one-sided conversation seemed familiar. A memory, something he'd been half conscious for.

Something struck him in the chest.

He had a chest now?

Damas coughed, and stars burst into his eyes, blinding him again.

The world rushed back like a whirlwind, ripping away the vortex without pity or pause. He was cold, and in pain -- not as much as when the Dozer landed on him, at least -- and one of his shoulders felt wrong.

He coughed again and felt his lungs expand for the first time in -- in what? Minutes? Days? Eons?

Damas opened his eyes and regretted it. Light stabbed into them as he gasped for air, greedily sucking in lungful after lungful. He heard beeping, and smelled antiseptic. A hospital ward?

"My lord!" Seem breathed, obviously relieved, "We feared the concentrated eco would be too strong for your body to handle. Thank the Precursors you live!"

Reaching up slowly to clutch his head, Damas was confused to feel bandages. He'd had his torso crushed, not his head! Slowly, he turned his head to squint up at Sig.

"Ja- Jak," he rasped, "Where's...Jak?"

He knew the answer before Sig opened his mouth. Shock doused him like ice water as he took in the medicated eco patch plastered over Sig’s right eye socket. It had only just been changed, and the smell of antibiotic lingered. The scars on his brow weren't scars, they were raw, red, furrows. Not reopened wounds, wounds that had not yet been given enough time to heal.

Sig tried to raise his brows, then cursed hotly as the movement sent him curling inward with pain.

"Uh...who's Jak?"

It was the Summer of the Long Fog.

Mar had just been kidnapped. Damas had given chase, and nearly been killed for his efforts. Sig had lost an eye, Korah an arm. Several more lost their lives.

That had happened three years ago.

This was impossible! Surely light eco couldn't-

And what do you know of light eco? You've seen it transform Jak into a kind of Precursor himself! Who's to say it cannot transport the mind through time?

But if he was simply reliving this memory, wouldn't Sig have ignored his query? And why would he feel, and breathe, if this was merely an echo?

"What...what day is it?" he wheezed.

Concerned, Sig frowned, stretching his facial muscles as little as possible.

"Sol eleventh, Se'enday," he answered.

Sol eleventh. A week and a half after the kidnapping.

And six days before -- if Daxter's math was correct -- Jak was kidnapped by Praxis.

One of his sons was either on his way to, or already within Haven's forbidding walls, and the other would arrive in mere days to a nightmare he could not escape. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.

It wasn't set in stone. Not if he could help it.

Slowly, painfully, Damas pushed himself into a sitting position. The heart monitor shrieked scoldingly at him, and he conceded as he rested against the headboard, dizzy.

"We have to get to Haven," he said between pauses for breath. "L- low profile. If anyone has information..." He let it hang in the air.

"...it's Krew," Sig finished slowly.

He sighed and hung his head.

"I hate that you're right. Who you gonna send? Kleiver isn't exactly "low profile"."

Damas barely twitched his head to the side. "Not Kleiver. Someone Mar would recognize and feel safe with."

Sig leaned forward. "Then send me."

Damas remembered this. Hearing the desperation in Sig’s voice a second time still hurt. It hadn't been Sig’s fault, he understood that better now. It was no one's fault but the soothsayer who betrayed them. Sig did not need to "redeem himself" as he seemed to believe. Damas just needed him to be his eyes and ears.

"No risks," he said. "I'm not losing you too."

Anguish filled Sig’s remaining eye. He reached out to grip Damas’s hand.

"Please! I can do this, Damas. I won't fail you again!"

He reminded Damas of Jak, blaming himself for someone else's betrayal. Damas tightened his fingers around Sig’s and barely shook his head again.

"Fail me? You survived a shot to the eye, Sig. How is that failure?"

"But I-"

"Sig, I trust you." Damas caught his breath. Being temporarily dead had done his lung capacity no favors. "Just- heal first. Mar is alive, and he's- he's so smart-"

Don't break down, keep it together!

"Time is of the essence, I know. But until you've been fitted with the new eye, you're not to take any risks. Just insinuate yourself into Krew's circle. The old shark makes enough enemies to be in the market for a bodyguard. I'll go with you-"

Sig jolted upright. "Hey! No!" He pointed at the king sternly. "You almost died, man! What happens to Spargus if we lose you? You want Kleiver in charge?"

Seem blanched beneath their face paint. "Don't do that to us, sire," they begged, "We can't have committed a sin bad enough to warrant that!"

And Damas laughed. He couldn't help it, it sounded like something Daxter would've said.

Will I find Daxter too? He said they were separated when they landed...

"I told you, we're not taking any risks," he lied, "I'm pursuing a lead, that's all."

Seem frowned. "A lead on Mar? What information can you have gleaned from an eco coma, sire?"

Oh you would be surprised, young one, Damas thought, but kept it to himself. The jury was still out on whether any of this was real, after all. But if it was all some hallucination of a wandering spirit, what could be the harm?

"Not Mar." Damas leaned back and closed his eyes. "Something Praxis is working on. He's laid a trap for-" he paused. "...for someone else. Perhaps a rival gambit to whoever took my son."

He knew it was obvious that he knew more than he was saying. But no matter. This time, he would hobble Praxis's Dark Warrior Program before it ever had its first success. This time, Jak would never know the night terrors that so often drove him to avoid sleep. And if he found Mar while he was sabotaging the machinations of Precursors and Seers, so much the better.

"We foil this trap, snatch the intended victim from the jaws of the Krimzon Guard, and Praxis will flounder. We have five days to foil his ambush."

Damas opened his eyes.

"Prepare accordingly. If you are not ready in five days, I leave without you and you will meet me in Haven's forest. Understood?"

The monk and the warrior stared at him as if he was speaking complete gibberish.

"You're needed in Spargus-!" Seem began to protest, but Sig just groaned.

"Oh no. He's doing The Face. I don't think we can stop him, kid."

"But-! But if Praxis learns that the Heir of Mar is in the city-!"

"Then it would mean Onin betrayed me again and won't live to do so a third time," Damas answered smoothly.

"She was chosen by the Precursors!" the young monk cried, appalled.

"So was I. Yet I have consigned no children to unconscionable suffering for the "greater good". Even prophets can fall."

Damas felt strength beginning to return to his limbs. His body was finally processing the massive dose of eco properly. If this was a dream, it was a satisfyingly vivid one.

"Go. I have much to prepare."

Soon, Jak. You're coming home soon. I'll be waiting.

[mariacallous]

American R&B singer Aliaune Thiam, professionally known as Akon, has long wanted to help Senegal, the country he grew up in. He started Akon Lighting Africa in 2014 to install cheap Chinese solar-powered lighting systems across the continent. He hoped to do something more significant for Senegal. But how to fund it?

The answer turned out to be the same one adopted by a growing number of governments and entrepreneurs: a mixture of cryptocurrency and urban planning. It’s a combination that offers the promise of development without any of the tricky details—and which tends to turn out to be little more than vaporware. There was Bitcoin City in El Salvador, but also Painted Rock in Nevada, Satoshi Island in Vanuatu, Cryptoland in Fiji, or the Crypto-Kingdom of Bitcointopia in Utah.

In 2018, Akon announced a new cryptocurrency, to be called “akoin.” Akoin would enable Africans to, as the singer put it at a launch event, “advance themselves independent of the government”—in some manner. Most importantly, akoin would fund the creation of Akon City, an advanced planned city to be built in Senegal. Akon announced akoin and Akon City at the Cannes Lions Festival in June 2018. Akon said in November of that year that he had “everything planned out” for the city. But both Akon City and the akoin token remained only ideas for many months.

Akon was interested by the promises of cryptocurrency—specifically, free money by some unclear mechanism—but he was not up on the details of its technical or financial issues: “I come with the concepts and let the geeks figure it out,” he said. The akoin team featured initial coin offering (ICO) entrepreneurs such as Lynn Liss of ICO Impact and Crystal Rose Pierce.

The akoin cryptocurrency was pre-sold in a 2019 crypto token offering called “token of appreciation.” Each dollar “donation” would give you up to four tokens which would convert to akoin.

Akoin had not launched in Senegal at the time, despite billboards across the country. The West African CFA franc is the only legal currency in Senegal; BCEAO, the central bank, warned that akoin could not be used as a currency in the country.

Akoin promised all manner of functionality—special akoin wallet software, direct exchange with other cryptocurrencies or with cellphone minutes, an application marketplace, various “building blocks for entrepreneurship.” None of this was ever implemented.

Akoin finally started trading on a crypto exchange in November 2020. The akoin token didn’t do anything or have any particular utility; it was just a crypto token that you could trade. Pre-sale buyers dumped their akoin immediately and the price crashed. That’s not unusual: As of 2022, 24 percent of new cryptos fell 90 percent or more in their first week.

Akon posted on social media in January 2020 that he had “finalized the agreement for AKON CITY in Senegal”—though he had previously claimed that construction had already started in March 2019. The new city would be built near the small town of Mbodiène, about 100 kilometers south of the capital, Dakar.

Akon City would be a “smart city” inspired by the futuristic African nation of Wakanda from the 2018 movie Black Panther. The city would feature boldly curved skyscrapers, shopping malls, music and movie studios, “eco-friendly” tourist resorts, and a parking garage for flying cars.

Akon claimed in August 2020 that $2 billion of the $6 billion needed to build Akon City had been secured. He laid the foundation stone for the city on Aug. 31, 2020, and said that construction would start “next year,” in 2021.

Construction did not start in 2021, to the disappointment of locals. It was not clear where the $6 billion needed to build Akon City would come from. A representative for KE International, the United States-based contractor for Akon City, told AFP that more than $4 billion had been secured, with Kenyan entrepreneur Julius Mwale as lead investor, and that construction would start in October 2021—but it did not.

By 2022, Akon told the BBC that construction was “100,000 percent moving.” He said the COVID-19 pandemic was partly to blame for the delays. Akon was surprised at the “thousands of studies” that had to be done before work could even commence.

Senegal’s Society for the Development and Promotion of Coasts and Tourist Zones (SAPCO) had claimed the land by eminent domain in 2009 before offering it to Akon City in 2020. By 2023, no building work had been done at the Akon City site—though Axiome Construction insisted that geotechnical studies and environmental assessments were still under way. By this time, according to the Guardian, the only construction was a youth center nearby in Mbodiène, paid for personally by Akon—and built upon the foundation stone that he had laid in 2020.

Senegal finally lost patience with the project. Akon had missed several payments to SAPCO, and in June of this year, SAPCO sent a formal notice to Akon warning that work had to start by the end of July or SAPCO might take back almost all of the land grant.

Akon had already been looking for other opportunities to place akoin. In April 2021, he started talking to Uganda about setting up an Akon City there as well. In January 2022, the Ugandan government allocated him one square mile in Mpunge, in the Mukono district—despite objections from the National Unity Platform party and protests from Mpunge residents wanting compensation, which could not be paid before 2025.

Akon said that Akon City, Uganda, might be completed by 2036. At a 2021 news conference, he evaded questions on what the new city would cost or how it would be funded. The Forum for Democratic Change party said that the Ugandan Akon City would never happen and accused the government of granting “sweetheart deals” to developers.

Akon City was tech solutionism that leveraged the political power of celebrity. Akon wanted to launch a large project and thought that cryptocurrency, the buzzword of 2018, might fund his dream. He thought that this one weird trick would do the job.

In this case, the miracle technology was crypto. These days, such  pushes by celebrities or entrepreneurs of new projects will typically use artificial intelligence—whatever that might mean in a particular case—as the marketing hook for a “smart city.

In his 2023 book Let Them Eat Crypto, Peter Howson of Northumbria University detailed how to head off solutionism-inspired blockchain projects that were heavy on publicity but light on the necessary bureaucratic work on the ground. His approach is broadly applicable to tech solutionism in general: Pay attention to the men behind the curtain. Howson has written recently on “smart city” plans as marketing for crypto tokens.

The Akon City plan was a worked example of speculative urbanization. A project is proposed with science-fiction concept drawings and a pitch aimed at tourists rather than locals; land is allocated; something might eventually be built, but it will bear little resemblance to the brochures. Christopher Marcinkoski of the University of Pennsylvania described Akon City as just one of many such initiatives, particularly in Africa, calling it “very much a real estate play.” The important output from such projects is local political capital���even as they never work out as advertised.

Cryptocurrency was an application of speculative urbanization to money—a high concept, a pitch to financial tourists, and the only end result being a token to speculate on and a tremendous amount of fraud. The Akon City project, however good Akon’s own intentions, seems functionally to have been merely the pitch for a crypto offering that failed—leaving an empty site, disappointed locals, and an embarrassed figurehead.

By 2024, akoin had been removed from the few crypto exchanges it had been listed on; it was effectively worthless. Akon sold short videos on Cameo—but he would not do requests related to cryptocurrency.

The speculative urbanization pitch rolls on. Actor Idris Elba has recently floated plans for an “environmentally friendly smart city” on Sherbro Island off Sierra Leone.

[speakingfromthefield]

Thoughts on the Arusha Manifesto - From then Until Now

When I first read Nyerere’s Manifesto on a relaxed afternoon after just having had very strong Tanzanian coffee in a hip coffee shop located in the same building as the Ngorongoro Conservation Office (outside of which the manifesto is displayed), I felt surprised. And intrigued. I took a picture. Then, I felt like I can pack my bags and leave Arusha, and my PhD project, behind. Upon giving it first read, the Arusha manifesto clearly eludes to the fact that Tanzania wants, even expects, outside intervention regarding nature protection. But the imposition of outside knowledge and best practices in Tanzania, especially regarding environmental governance in front of a (post)colonial legacy, is something I had meant to deconstruct and critique with my PhD project. However, now it turned out that the “father of the nation” as he is affectionately called (for good reason) by us Tanzanians, the Tanzanian champion and ”liberator of the people”, advocate of Tanzanian (intellectual) spirit and rebirth, explicitly invited outside expertise to protect cultural and environmental heritage. Hadn’t Tanzania, by the early 1960s, just emerged from a long and hard-fought struggle for self-rule? Weren’t the last British administrators barely out the door? And wasn’t the Zanzibar Revolution against the colonial Arab elite already simmering by 1963 and about to erupt in early 1964? But then I read the manifesto again. And again. And then, again.

Upon careful re-reading, it turns out that Nyerere speaks of the natural heritage of the African continent as a whole, and does not specifically refer to Tanganyika (as Tanzania was called back then). It may be that he tried to highlight nature conservation as a pan-African effort, and saw the environmental legacy of Tanganyika as belonging to all of humankind. Perhaps to him, this was not about local vs. foreign but about the importance of preserving the countries’ spectacularly rich eco systems, while also seeing the financial potential in the protection of these environments for all of humanity. Furthermore if there is great value in the preservation of these regions natural environments, the next questions rightly so will center around how this should be achieved. Nyerere didn't go into the particulars of the action process but any governmental policies, without a doubt, are also always a product of their time.

The early 1960s were a time of hope on the African continent. During the famous independence movements, many African leaders envisioned a future in which the continent could chart its own political, economic, and cultural course. A new African confidence and pride was ignited and African socialism, as articulated by leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Julius Nyerere, was seen as not only political but also philosophical in nature. Communal values, human dignity, and collective prosperity were envisioned to lead the continent into a new postcolonial period. This was also the birth of pan-Africanism, where ideas about shared responsibility, mutual aid, and interdependence between peoples and nations was a pursuit towards a new, modern African spirit. Environmental protection, then, could fit within this vision as something that transcended borders because the ecological richness of the continent was understood as a legacy and obligation shared across generations and geographies.

In Tanzania, the Ujamaa (”unity”, “community”) movement was Nyerere’s version of African socialism. At its heart was the belief that Tanzanians could develop not by imitating the capitalist West, but by reviving and adapting the community oriented spirit of traditional African village life. Ujamaa emphasised rural development, collective farming, self-reliance, and national unity. For Nyerere it was especially important that this unity was more important than tribal or ethnic divisions between the many different tribes of Tanganyika (this stood in stark contrast to the social policies of Tanzania’s neighbour Kenya of the same time. For a deeper dive into this interesting contrasting approach of two bordering nations, stay tuned!) The spirit of Ujamaa was anti-imperialist, and aimed at defining how Tanzanians thought about themselves, their future, and the role of the state. So within this logic, the protection of natural heritage might have been imagined not as an imported idea, but as expression of national pride and care, even if later on realised through international influence.

But this idealistic vision soon collided with the realities of global capitalism. It is important tp understand that by the 1980s, Tanzania, like many other postcolonial nations at the time was plunged into structural adjustment programs (SAPs) imposed by the World Bank and IMF. These integrations forced the country to liberalise its economy, cut public spending, and open up to foreign investors. The language of self-reliance was replaced by the logic of market efficiency. In the tourism and conservation sectors, this meant a turn toward private-public partnerships, international NGOs, and foreign donors. It slowly became evident that protected areas began to be managed not only by the Tanzanian state but by outside actors importing world views on how nature is best to be governed. This shift modified the public sector’s autonomy and left it vulnerable to be dependent or integrated into international donor schemes, metrics of success set by external actors. Most importantly to understand here is that the global capitalism era commencing the 80s, laid the foundations for a new market view of nature as a commodity to be priced, marketed, and sold with solid integration into an emergingly popular (safari) tourism sector.

Zooming out, it is evident that we are still in this time period. Tanzania's conservation landscape today is not neutral, sovereign nor apolitical. So back at the trendy coffee house, I sit back down at my tiny table and take a moment to think. The caffeine has finally hit and I reflect on the words of one of my interview participants from a few days ago, a retired Tanzanian tourism expert who has been keeping an eye on the country’s wildlife protection and tourism sectors. He describes tourism in his country as inseparable from wildlife protection and natural resource management, which he views as an uncomfortable merge:

“To most politicians, they think the product we have here {is wildlife}… to them tourism is wildlife. They cannot differentiate between wildlife and tourism. (…) It would have been better if we had a ministry of tourism and the ministry of natural {resources} as two different ministries.”

If we are to understand Tanzanian tourism as synonymous with wildlife and natural resource protection, the country’s safari industry and the power dynamics it enflicts on wildlife and nature management become much more evident. With this insight, I pack up my bags and leave the cafe.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Footnotes

[1] See implantation of NFC chips in people in Sweden. https://www.npr.org/2018/10/22/658808705/thousands-of-swedes-are-inserting-microchips-under-their-skin?t=1570529276200.

[2] See Journey Towards The Abyss- Scattered Reflections on the Techno World for a critique of nano-technologies being developed for this purpose or the recent development of Metal 'Trees' in Ireland for the same purpose: https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Metal-Trees-Suck-Up-CO2-From-Air.html as examples

[3] Zoo's and research facilities in China developed this technique which has now been used in dozens of cases. https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/panda-porn-and-other-desperate-measures-to-get-rare-species-to-mate.aspx

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_legislation

[5] See Dean Spade: 'Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics, and the Limits of Law' for a comprehensive critique of these trajectories or the United Kingdoms Section 5 of the Public Order Offenses Act as concrete example.

[6] See Silvia Federici: Caliban and the Witch.

[7] See Saidiya Hartman: In the Belly of the World: A note on Black Women’s Labor

[9] An endangered species of insect

[10] Nasa for example, produced a paper in 2016 outlining a possible strategy for the colonization of Mars https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a21330/nasa-wants-martian-resources-for-martian-colony/

[11] This trajectory is most exemplified (though not limited to) by the group 'Extinction Rebellion'

[12] Such prophets of the Eco Fascist 'Left' as David Attenboroughs who proposed ending food aid to the African Continent as a way to tackle 'overpopulation' and the discourses around 'overpopulation' in general unmask the potential directions off this trajectory. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/sorry-sir-david-attenborough-this-isn-t-the-way-to-tackle-over-population-8824385.html

[13] Although most of the current documents around outer space extractivism currently solicit the use of machines, one only has to look at the disproportionate distribution of current extraction projects requiring human labor in the 'global south' to see who will likely be drafted for off world projects and who will benefit from them. An interesting NASA solicitation from 2017 can be seen here: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-seeks-commercial-solutions-to-harvest-space-resources

[14] The 'Death Drive' is a conceptual framework first proposed by Lee Edelman in the text 'No Future' and later expanded upon in the journal Baedan vol I; it is the possibility contained within queerness to negate futurority and a negative, anti social turn against the future.

[thecrazyworldbuilder]

I have this WIP setting about mechas which I am not being hyperfixated about but I do kinda like. It is unnamed for now but here's the introduction:

Alright so some work on the Mecha Project

The entire story is happening on an Earth-like planet. Turns out, biology is pretty rigid and Earth ain't such a unique snowflake as we thought.

Into the faaar g'damn future we send a stasis ship there, and arrive to a peaceful, unpopulated by sentient life planet. Name's pending but I think of something like New [insert name].

The planet is ruled by the United Sol Alliance (USA, on purpose) and is now beginning to build an eco-friendly high-tech civilization. Generations have passed but, due to a part of the huge information tanks being damaged, a part of Earth history and a lot of physics/inventions catalogues are lost, thus rendering humans on the new planet a bit uneducated on some matters.

The three continents of the planet are populated and everything is pretty much utopian. Clean air, alien life is quite similar to Earth's (four legs, fur, skin, general biology), trees also use chlorophyll but are toxic due to other not so pleasant chemicals, though it ain't much of a problem.

Then the Invasion began.

From outer space, unpredicted, came hard to spot ships with little to no electronics or energetic signature. Crashing on the surface, they started letting out the Kaiju.

These creatures are called just that - Kaiju - in tribute to the old Earth fiction. The thing though is that they aren't natural creatures; Engineered by some other species, they are living war machines meant to consume genetics of other species and use them for creation of new and newer lifeforms. This Kaiju Horde instantly becomes a threat to the human colony.

The first months of the invasion things were only heating up. Some human cities were destroyed, population slain. In return, alien motherships were targeted by hardcore artillery. But while humans were great in the distanced combat, easily sniping down huge beasts with absolutely wild railgun tech, they were helpless up close.

The kaiju could easily scale the distance between them and the human forces, beginning bloodshed in close quarters combat. Huge, muscular beasts perfected to destroy any creature or tech, they succeeded in putting down entire platoons of the USA (actually I might rethink that name).

Then there came a solution, seemingly out of nowhere. During one of the fights, a construction worker beat the beast to pulp using a non-battle mech meant for moving weights. Instantly labeled hero, the dude inspired the human forces to start the creation of war mechs.

So the arming race began. The mechs were slow as shit when on manual control, so they had to invest into neural linking. The PHIL link (Personal Helmet Infolink) was created and was truly still a complete mess. It was sensitive to any thought of the user, may you think of lemons or steamed hams, the helmet would try to interpret commands even when it doesn't have to and had bad lag which proved lethal.

Next went the RING, AMP-1 and AMP-2 links. Those were proven superior to both PHIL and manual.

The mech tech itself improved over the years. Beginning with bulky hardbodies, it evolved into sleek and agile softbodies which were highly capable of close quarter combat. Sooner or later, the profession of a mech pilot became very useful and high-paying.

For now, the human colonies on the three continents are split, but the times are a bit more easy on the front. The kaiju motherships (which act as factories) are far in the land, in the sectors beyond reach, and fortifications are built to hold them back.

That's attabout it. Here's a repost of the link and mech types:

MECH TYPES Softbody S Armored Softbody AS Clam C Hardbody H Semisoftbody SS

LINK TYPES RING (Redirecting Implanted Neural Gate) AMP-1 (Amputee Mech Personel Type 1) AMP-2 (Amputee Mech Personel Type 2) PHIL (Personal Helmet Infolink) Manual

An interesting parameter in mechs is the (neural) feedback.

It is the proprioception of the driver with the mech, the feeling of the mech's body and where it's bodyparts are. Manual mechs have no proprioception, so do the PHIL ones on the older models (new models at least provide a projection of the mech's pose for the driver to reference from).

RING has the best feedback sensitivity meaning the driver with a RING link make best DES and SPD (speed) builds. AMP-1 and AMP-2 are both roughly equal in feedback sensitivity, with AMP-2 being bit better due  to larger portions of the driver's limbs being "phantom", thus linked with the mech. PHIL is completely dogshit in providing feedback as mentioned before, and manual is equal to sitting in a tank and wondering what was that noise that just hit the left side of the hull. Yet feedback isn't tied to the link type but the mech type.

A hardbody mech has little to no feedback. It does count the angles under which the joints are bent and all that but those sensors can be easily broken, giving wrong info or none at all.

A softbody mech is best in providing feedback. Literally having a neural mesh that has sensitivity and allows the drivers to feel "touch", it also provides best proprioception and agility.

Other mech types are varying in feedback providing.

[evindias]

Uber Launches Electric Bike Fleet in Kenya: A Green Milestone for Africa's Ride-Hailing

Uber, the global ride-hailing giant, has taken a significant step towards reducing emissions and promoting sustainable transportation in Africa by launching its electric motorbike service in Kenya. This eco-friendly initiative marks Uber’s first foray into electric bikes on the African continent and aligns with the company’s ambitious goal of making its global platform emissions-free by…

[wowbright]

I have seen this post, along with reblogs containing massive amounts of misinformation, cross my dash many times. I have ignored them, thinking "what's the use of getting into this on Tumblr"? But I have finally hit the tipping point. seeing mutual after mutual reblog this along with "only ecofascists believe in the concept of human overpopulation; if you even consider arguments about overpopulation, you are sliding down the slippery slope to eco-fascism" commentary, apparently without questioning the content or the source, is disturbing to me.

The tweet above and the statements about eco-fascism are not factual statements. They are propaganda. Now, I don't think propaganda is in itself a bad thing. But it not being bad depends on people being able to identify it and critique it. You need to be able to evaluate the content and the source in order to weed out the objective information from the subjective. If you can do that and you still agree with it, more power to you.

In this super long post, I am first going to address the tweet. After that, I will talk a little bit about eco-fascism and overpopulation discourse.

Let's address the source first. Here are some other opinions you can find on the Hampton Institute site (quotes are from x):

There was no evidence of Russian interference in any U.S. election and any investigations into it are pro capitalist political theater

Go ahead and let Russia have Ukraine

Cornel West is not socialist enough

"We need to understand that electoral politics are both a time suck and a dead end if the goal is to win elections, assume office, and enact legislation. Therefore, campaigns should only be used to educate, agitate, and form counter-hegemonic and liberatory institutions and organizations."

"liberal identity politics" are a sideshow; capitalism/class is the ultimate root of all oppression

"Democrats are not anti-fascist; they are just as much a part of the transition to overt fascism as Republicans are."

Bernie Sanders sold out the working class by endorsing Biden (among other sins)

Every single report of sexual violence conducted by Hamas during the attack on Israel on October 2023 is false. (Not just that there were misreportings or it's difficult to pin down numbers, but that not a single incident happened.)

It's a waste of time and capitalist shilling to critique communism/historical communist systems

If there's anything in the list above you wouldn't take at face value, then why take the tweet at the top at face value?

As for the content, let's look at the numbers:

7.7 billion --it could be more, it could be less. It's close enough. I'm not going to argue with this.

95% of people live on 10% of the land-- where does the statistic come from? What is it even saying? Is it saying that, of all the land occupied by humans, 5% own or occupy 90% of that land? Is it talking about all arable land on earth? Is it talking about all land on Earth? Because if you look at statistics for arable land use, there is not a single inhabited continent where arable land use is less than 25%. That is, of all the arable land that exists, at least 25% of it is being used for agriculture (cropland or grazing land). Worldwide average is around 35%. That is way more than 10%. If you single out cropland alone and don't count grazing land, because you want to look at how a vegetarian diet might change land use, you will find the cropland takes up less than 10% of arable land in parts of the world. But in europe, the us, argentina, mexico, china, India, Pakistan, Kenya, and a bunch of other countries, more than 10% of arable land is used for crops, with some countries having as much as 50 to 70% of their arable land used for crop land. x

We produce enough food to satisfy 10 billion people -- I'm not going to argue with this. There are plenty of studies that support the argument that this will be possible soon if not already x (but no one should be surprised that it includes the assumption of shifting to a more plant-based diet, which does not line up with actual food consumption trends x)

We can double how many people we feed in a more sustainable way -- another point that sounds nice, but what does it even mean?

Okay, Now we move on from the Hampton Institute to the ecofascists. Wow, what a fun way to spend my Saturday afternoon!

True claim: Eco-fascism argues that overpopulation is the ultimate root of climate change and environmental destruction. x x x x

True claim: Eco-fascism is racist, white supremacist, and genocidal. (See links above.)

Unprovable claim: Overpopulation is inherently and only an eco-fascist myth/arguing point. That is actually something that you will need to decide for yourself after you research the issue. But here are a few starting points: Isaac Asimov and Jacques Cousteau had concerns about human population growth and its effects on the environment. Are they necessarily ecofascists? Are white people living in Western countries who support immigration and reproductive freedom worldwide being eco-fascists when they make a personal choice to have fewer children because they are concerned about the effect of population growth and land use on their local ecosystems? Is it inherently fascistic to draw a mathematical correlation between number of people and amount of land used for agriculture and habitation? Is it fascistic to think about what the worst consequences of human population growth could be, in order to figure out ways to minimize or eliminate negative consequences while allowing human population growth to continue? Is it possible to use the concept of overpopulation in a non-misanthropic way, i.e. as a tool for identifying numbers that would be unsustainable under current conditions, and figuring out how to change things so that those numbers would be perfectly sustainable?

No conclusion here. I'm not going to tell you what the interest to those questions should be.

To show my hand, I don't think they necessarily have a single answer. And that is what led me to spend way too much time on a Saturday writing about this post when my sinuses are stuffed and I can't even think clearly. Because every single reblog I've seen of it gives off the impression that this is a closed discussion, that there is a single right conclusion that everybody should come to, that all the statements made are objective and supported by fact, and that everybody but an eco-fascist would agree with the whole reblog chain.

It's Tumblr and i shouldn't care because no one will take the time to read this anyway. But hey. I have a cold and I'm not thinking straight. Have a great day.

join the praxis discord - sign up - github

[whovian223]

Bottoscon 2024 Retrospective

Bottoscon 2024 Retrospective @oinkgames @fanfactories @devirgames @StrongholdGames @AMIGO_GamesUS @alderac @Gamewright

Once again in November I was able to attend Bottoscon, the largest wargaming convention in the Pacific Northwest. This year, they managed to get over 150 attendees, which is amazing considering that when they began 18 years ago, they had 32 attendees. The convention is run by Rob Bottos, a prominent wargamer, and a cohort of other people who help keep the con organized and well-run, solving…

[simbaadventures]

Benefits Of Using Our Tanzania Local Tour Operators

Your safari experience can be enhanced by local safari operators' in-depth familiarity with the landscape, wildlife behavior, and cultural quirks. Local experts are firmly established in the environment in which they operate, in contrast to larger, worldwide organizations. providing an unmatched level of understanding and candor. Their knowledge opens doors to unusual encounters and amazing experiences, from spotting rare creatures to finding hidden riches off the usual path.

Tailored interactions and personalized attention

The individualized attention and distinctive experiences that local safari operators provide are among the primary benefits of booking with them. You are treated as a valued visitor with preferences rather than as just another tourist. Throughout the entire trip, comfort and interests are given first priority.

Selecting tanzania local tour operators is in line with environmental objectives and ethical standards for travelers who are dedicated to responsible tourism. Local business owners have a stake in protecting the environment and the welfare of the community. They directly support conservation efforts by embracing eco-friendly activities and patronizing neighborhood businesses. ensuring that the pleasures of nature can be enjoyed by future generations.

All-Inclusive Support and Combined Logistics

For first-time visitors to the African wilderness, navigating the complexities of a safari adventure might be intimidating. Local safari operators' extensive support services and in-depth knowledge speed up the procedure. from setting up transportation to and from the airport to offering welcoming lodging and knowledgeable counselors. They handle everything, allowing you to concentrate on taking in the breathtaking beauty of nature.

A tanzania local tour operators offer the chance to engage with the various civilizations that inhabit the African continent, in addition to the excitement of witnessing wildlife. Local safari operators offer insights into traditional lifestyles, customs, and traditions by cultivating close relationships with local populations. participating in a Maasai ceremony, eating food from the area, or going to a community school. Your safari experience gains depth and individuality from these cross-cultural interactions, which promote respect and understanding between people. However, well-known tourist spots frequently draw large crowds and traffic. Local safari operators can offer you unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences since they have firsthand knowledge and access to distant wilderness locations. In order to really appreciate the wild beauty of nature and stay away from the temptations of mass tourism, knowledgeable locals can direct you to remote savannah areas.

There are two choices: taking a walking safari in magnificent surroundings or camping beneath the stars in a private concession. What luxury in the outdoors implies is redefined by these unique encounters. The flexibility and adaptability that local safari operators provide over the strict schedules enforced by major travel agencies is one of the main benefits of booking with them. Local operators are skilled at managing last-minute adjustments, customized requests, and unforeseen wildlife encounters. Because of this adaptability, your safari experience will continue to be lively and fluid, with equal chances for surprise encounters. To guarantee a worry-free and safe trip, travel agencies that provide safari vacations are required to adhere to strict safety regulations. from immaculate cars to knowledgeable tour guides. To ensure your safety, every detail of your trip is carefully organized.

[mohitsinghaniya]

Universal Business School Karjat About

Universal Business School was established as part of Strive India Education Foundation in February 2009. Universal Business School (UBS) takes a leap forward, by creating India’s first Green Business School ensuring eco-smart integrated thinking and a sustainable campus. The idea for establishing a world-class business school in Mumbai was born in 2008.

The Business School is founded by International Business Leaders who have business experience in all five continents and have managed multibillion dollar global businesses. They have built a unique experiential based learning pedagogy for international Business Executives.

UBS provides full time and part time Graduate and Post Graduate programmed in Management along with Executive Management Development courses. UBS through its subsidiary Business Scorecard India will provide Training and Consultancy Services to leading Indian and Multinational companies and will act as a premier resource for Organization Building, Business Growth, & Customer Delight.

[janisurstemostrespectedtrade]

Janis Urste  A Trusted Partner in Global Banking Transformation

In a financial world marked by rapid technological change, evolving regulatory demands, and increasing customer expectations, the role of a strategic banking consultant has become more vital than ever. Among the most respected names in the field, Janis Urste has emerged as a trusted global partner in banking transformation, helping institutions modernize their operations, reimagine their business strategies, and thrive in competitive markets.

With a reputation for clarity, innovation, and actionable insight, Urste has worked with major banking institutions, regional financial firms, and fintech startups to drive measurable change and long-term success.

Global Perspective, Local Relevance

Janis Urste’s work spans across continents—from advanced economies in Western Europe and North America to emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. His ability to adapt strategies to local regulatory frameworks, cultural nuances, and economic conditions makes him uniquely effective in guiding transformation initiatives in diverse environments.

Whether it’s guiding a bank in London through open banking compliance or helping a microfinance institution in India scale its operations digitally, Urste delivers solutions that are globally informed yet locally optimized.

End-to-End Transformation Advisory

What distinguishes Janis Urste is his comprehensive approach to transformation. He provides end-to-end advisory services, covering every facet of banking operations and business strategy. These include:

Digital transformation planning and execution

Risk and compliance framework modernization

Core banking system upgrades

Customer experience redesign

Sustainable finance integration

Talent development and change leadership

This full-spectrum consulting allows clients to engage with Urste not only on tactical projects but also on long-term strategic evolution.

Helping Traditional Banks Compete in the Digital Era

As customer habits evolve, traditional banks face increasing pressure from tech-savvy fintechs and neobanks. Janis Urste has helped legacy institutions pivot by:

Redesigning branch strategies in the context of mobile-first banking

Creating hybrid customer service models (human + AI)

Building API ecosystems to enable third-party partnerships

Advising on “banking-as-a-service” (BaaS) models

With Urste’s support, these banks have retained their core strengths while acquiring digital agility, giving them a renewed competitive edge.

Risk and Compliance in a Complex Regulatory Landscape

One of the defining challenges of modern banking is maintaining compliance amid complex and ever-changing regulations. Janis Urste supports institutions with:

Developing integrated compliance frameworks

Adopting RegTech solutions for automated monitoring

Strengthening anti-money laundering (AML) controls

Preparing for Basel III, GDPR, and other international standards

By turning compliance into a strategic strength rather than a burden, Urste enables his clients to operate with greater confidence and credibility.

Customer-Centric Innovation

Urste firmly believes that banking transformation must be customer-first. He assists banks in mapping customer journeys, identifying pain points, and leveraging data to enhance satisfaction. His customer innovation projects include:

Personalized financial advice engines

Omni-channel experience design

Intelligent chatbots and virtual assistants

Feedback-driven product development loops

These efforts lead to deeper engagement, improved retention, and stronger brand loyalty.

Sustainability and ESG Integration

As investors, regulators, and customers demand more responsible banking, Janis Urste has positioned himself at the forefront of ESG and green finance advisory. He helps banks:

Design sustainable product portfolios (green loans, eco-savings accounts)

Integrate ESG factors into risk assessments

Measure carbon footprints across operations

Publish transparent sustainability reports

These services are not only ethical but open access to ESG funding opportunities and enhance long-term reputational value.

Leadership Development and Change Management

Transformation is not just about technology or processes—it’s about people. Janis Urste works closely with executive teams to cultivate visionary leadership and change-ready cultures. His programs include:

Executive strategy offsites

Change management coaching

Talent pipeline development

Workshops on innovation, agility, and customer obsession

By building leadership capacity, Urste ensures that changes are institutionalized and scalable.

Proven Impact Across the Globe

Janis Urste's consulting engagements have produced remarkable results for financial institutions around the world. His achievements include:

Doubling the digital adoption rate of a European retail bank within 12 months

Guiding a Southeast Asian bank through a successful core banking replacement

Helping an African microfinance institution expand to new markets with mobile lending

Supporting a Middle Eastern bank in launching its first ESG-compliant investment fund

Each of these successes is a testament to Urste’s strategic foresight, meticulous execution, and deep industry expertise.

Conclusion: Empowering the Future of Banking

Janis Urste is more than a consultant—he is a visionary partner helping shape the future of global banking. His work empowers institutions to be more agile, customer-focused, digitally advanced, and socially responsible. In a world where transformation is not a choice but a necessity, Janis Urste stands out as the trusted expert who delivers not just advice—but results.

For banks seeking to evolve and excel in a complex world, partnering with Janis Urste means investing in sustainable transformation and global competitiveness.

[downtoearthmarkets]

The Leaf and Loom is a native plant nursery and home design business with a specific focus on helping clients incorporate sustainable, eco-friendly plantings into their outdoor spaces. Founded by husband-and-wife team Apurva and Anusha, The Leaf and Loom sells carefully curated native plants, fresh cut flowers and native plant seeds at Down to Earth’s Scarsdale Farmer Market. We recently chatted with Apurva to learn more about The Leaf and Loom and the guidance and gardening expertise they provide.

How did The Leaf and Loom get started? The Leaf and Loom emerged from the shared passions of my wife, an architect and interior designer, and myself, a software engineer with a keen interest in gardening, native flora, and conservation. Together, we envisioned a way to assist both residential and commercial clients in crafting beautiful and harmonious spaces, extending from interior design to exterior gardens.

The "Leaf" in Leaf and Loom represents the living, breathing, sustainable beauty of the gardens we help create, and "Loom" symbolizes the careful, artful weaving together of design elements – color, texture, light, and form – that make an interior truly captivating. 

What are the main services provided by The Leaf and Loom? What specific background, skills and expertise do each of you bring to the table? Anusha is an architect with a keen eye for designing beautiful interiors for discerning customers. She has worked on projects on three continents and brings a wealth of expertise from over a decade of experience.

I am a software engineer who has been growing plants since I was ten years old. Creating ecologically sustainable landscapes is important to me and I took the opportunity to collaborate with my wife on building The Leaf and Loom.

I understand that you operate a nursery, in addition to offering landscape design services. What type of plants do you sell at the nursery. Are they the same type of plants that you sell in the farmers market? I operate a small backyard nursery, and I sell a mix of native plants and nativars (which is a fancy term for saying ‘cultivated variety of native plants’).

What are native plants exactly? How are they different from other plants? Plants are considered native to an ecological region when they have grown there for a significant period, fostering the development of a complete ecological cycle involving both plants and animals. Ecosystems rely heavily on various species; the disappearance of even one can trigger significant ecological consequences. Consider the monarch butterfly: adult monarchs consume nectar from diverse flowers, but their larvae exclusively feed on milkweed. Declining milkweed habitats are a key factor in the observed decrease in monarch butterfly populations.

Can anyone add native plants to their flower beds and gardens? Or do these plants need specific growing conditions? In general, most native plants grow well in the soil native to their habitat. The caveat being that construction tends to displace and replace native soil with something else. The best way to know for sure would be to do a soil test, but in my opinion that is not always necessary. You can grow native plants in the appropriate conditions that they need (for example, Joe-Pye Weed prefers moist soil) and they might require some help in the first year of their life, but once they establish, they usually do not need any further help like fertilizer.

Are most native plants perennials? Not all varieties are perennials. Foxglove, for example, is a biennial. Additionally, some, such as black-eyed Susans, are self-seeding annuals, meaning that if the flowers are not deadheaded, their seeds will produce new plants in the following year.

Why is it important for homeowners to introduce native, pollinator-friendly plants into their yards? Embracing native plants offers ecological benefits and results in effortlessly beautiful home gardens that thrive throughout the year. For instance, Virginia Bluebells emerge in spring as groundcover, heralding the season, while Chokeberries offer vibrant fall foliage and winter nourishment for birds. By layering a garden with diverse perennials that bloom sequentially, a captivating, ever-changing landscape unfolds across the seasons. Furthermore, this approach supports and attracts vital pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and various bird species to your garden. 

What should home gardeners be focusing on during the month of June? June is still a good time to plant perennials, especially container-grown ones from a nursery, as long as you are diligent with watering while they establish. Focus on robust, summer-blooming natives that can handle the transition. Some good examples would be Echinacea, Black Eyed Susan, Bee Balm (Monarda sp.), Milkweed, Coreopsis, Asters, Goldenrods, etc.

You can direct sow warm season annuals like Zinnia, Cosmos, Sunflower, Marigold and Nasturtiums. You can also sow seeds of perennial plants, but they will probably only bloom next year.

Watering is crucial for young plants as summer approaches, and you should be especially diligent about it in the first year of the plant’s life. You can add a layer of mulch to reduce evaporation and the need for frequent watering.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about The Leaf and Loom and how it can help people discover the advantages of landscaping with native plants? Beyond the plants we grow and sell, we can provide solutions using native plants for homeowners. We can also help answer your gardening questions and assist you in designing a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that you will cherish and enjoy.

Visit The Leaf and Loom at our Sunday Scarsdale Farmers Market to pick up a couple of native plants for your garden or containers, to learn more about native plants and to find out more about The Leaf and Loom’s range of design and gardening services.

[one-closet]

Oppein Closets Review : Quality, Design, and What to Expect

Oppein has earned a reputation as one of the top global brands for custom closets and cabinetry. With decades of experience and millions of installations worldwide, Oppein stands out for its high-quality materials, modern designs, and flexible solutions. This company is known for large-scale production while still giving you the chance to personalize every detail.

If you’re looking for closet solutions that mix smart storage and style, Oppein is a name to watch. Their attention to detail and focus on innovation put them at the front of the industry. Whether you want a sleek walk-in or a built-in that works for your space, Oppein offers options tailored to fit your needs and taste.

Oppein Closets: Company Overview and Global Reach

Oppein Closets has built a reputation far beyond its home base in Guangzhou, China. If you’re looking for a closet provider with real scale, experience, and trust, Oppein stands out in the global custom cabinetry world. Their story is all about steady growth, bold moves in manufacturing, and serving customers on nearly every continent.

A Brief History: From Local Pioneer to Global Leader

Oppein began in 1994 as one of China’s first manufacturers focused on modern kitchen and closet solutions. The company quickly moved from humble beginnings into a national powerhouse, riding the wave of China’s home improvement boom. Milestones in their journey include:

Launching the concept of integral kitchens in China

Rapid growth through the 2000s, reaching major revenue milestones

Public listing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2016, which fueled further expansion

Ongoing investments in research, new materials, and digital design tools

Oppein’s ability to innovate and scale production has helped it earn customer trust both in China and abroad. More than just a cabinetry maker, Oppein has become a full home solutions provider, covering kitchen, bath, closet, and whole-home custom furnishings.

Manufacturing Scale and Smart Production

Oppein operates five main production centers spread across China, with a combined factory footprint of over 3 million square meters. Their scale is impressive:

Over 9.2 million cabinets produced annually

Capacity to serve more than 1 million homes each year

Advanced, smart factory systems that boost quality and efficiency

These vast, automated facilities mean Oppein can produce at a scale very few competitors can match. Their consistent output and focus on quality have helped them serve a wide range of projects, from single homes to high-rise commercial developments.

Certifications and Quality Standards

Trust starts with proof that products are safe, sustainable, and well-made. Oppein backs up its reputation with a stack of industry-leading certifications, including:

ISO 9001: Quality Management certification

ISO 14001: Environmental Management certification

FSC Certification: Responsible sourcing for wood materials

NAF-PB Certification: No added formaldehyde in particle board

E1 Grade Board Material compliance

In addition, Oppein’s manufacturing bases have begun the process to achieve recognized “green factory” status. Their ongoing push for environmentally friendly processes and materials shows a clear commitment to eco-conscious manufacturing.

A Massive Global Presence

What sets Oppein apart is its true international reach. This isn’t just a China story — Oppein closets and cabinetry are found in homes and commercial spaces across the world. Here’s what their presence looks like today:

Products and services across 146+ countries

More than 8,700 showrooms, retail stores, and dealer locations worldwide

Strategic expansion into North America, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, and beyond

A hybrid sales model: direct retail, local partners, and strong e-commerce offerings

Oppein has completed projects for over 10 million families globally. From sleek city apartments in New York to villas in Australia and condos in Southeast Asia, their closets can be seen in a range of styles and settings.

Prominence in the Custom Home Cabinetry Sector

Oppein dominates the custom closet and cabinetry sector by combining size, innovation, and flexibility. Their mix of mass production and bespoke design gives homeowners the best of both worlds. Here are some factors that fuel their prominence:

Leading market share across Asia and rising influence in global markets

Wide product range: kitchen, bath, closets, wardrobes, and whole-home solutions

Heavy investment in R&D, with around $150 million spent in 2022

Net profit and growth rates that lead the industry, thanks to smart operations

Oppein continues to invest in future tech, like smart home IoT integration and improved eco-friendly practices. Their focus remains on blending practical storage, modern design, and personal style for every customer, anywhere in the world.

Design, Customization, and Material Options

Oppein has built its reputation by making closets that aren't just storage—they’re an essential part of your home’s style. Whether you're designing for a large walk-in space or need an efficient solution for a compact apartment, Oppein’s variety lets you personalize every detail. Their focus on design, materials, and customization means you get furniture that looks good and fits your life perfectly.

Types of Oppein Closets: Walk-in, Fitted, and Modular Solutions

Oppein offers a closet for every type of space, with each option bringing unique strengths:

Walk-In Closets: These are ideal for people who want a dedicated dressing space. Walk-ins can include built-in lighting, islands, open shelves, and display areas. Oppein designs allow you to separate clothes by season, style, or family member and add personal touches like glass doors or decorative shelving.

Fitted Wardrobes: If you’re working with limited space or want storage along one wall, fitted wardrobes are a smart choice. They’re custom-built for your room’s exact measurements, fitting from floor to ceiling—even around corners or sloped ceilings. This style makes use of every inch and often comes with hinged or sliding doors to match your decor.

Modular Closets: For flexibility, modular systems shine. You can start small and add more units later. Modular closets work well for rental apartments, kids’ rooms, or anyone who may want to rearrange storage as needs change. They’re available in open and closed configurations, letting you display favorite pieces or keep clutter out of sight.

Open Systems: Prefer easy access or a display-friendly setup? Oppein’s open wardrobes and closet solutions keep everything in reach. These suit minimalist spaces and make a bedroom feel more open and modern.

No matter which style you pick, Oppein’s range allows you to match your closet to your design vision—modern, traditional, or something in between.

Customization Experience: From Design to Installation

Oppein’s customization process is set up for simplicity and peace of mind. Here’s what to expect at each step:

Consultation & Needs Assessment: It all begins with a conversation to understand your space, style, and storage needs. Oppein’s design consultants help you set priorities, from shoe racks to jewelry trays or adjustable shelving.

Design & 3D Visualization: Next comes the fun part—your personal design. Oppein uses advanced 3D tools so you can see exactly how your closet will look and function before ordering. You can test out finishes, layouts, handles, and lighting, all on your computer or tablet.

Material and Finish Selection: Choose from dozens of colors, textures, and finishes. Common materials include:

Solid Wood: For warmth, durability, and a classic look.

High-Quality MDF & Particle Board: Ideal for sleek, modern surfaces and affordable customization.

Acrylic Panels: For glossy, ultra-modern finishes that resist scratches and fading.

Premium Laminates & Lacquers: Wide variety of textures, matte or gloss options, and wood patterns.

Eco-Friendly Options: Many materials meet global green standards, making them better for your home and the planet.

Automated Production: Once you approve your design, Oppein’s high-tech factories use automated machinery for precise cutting and finishing. This keeps quality high and ensures your closet matches your 3D model.

Packaging & Delivery: Pieces are carefully packed and shipped to protect surfaces and ensure smooth assembly.

On-site Installation: Trained installers handle everything, from assembly to final adjustments. They make sure shelves, rails, and finishes line up just right. If changes are needed, support is available.

What makes Oppein’s process stand out is how personal it feels, despite their large scale. Every project, from a single wardrobe to a whole-home solution, is tailored for each customer. You get a closet that matches your taste and lifestyle—not a generic, out-of-the-box product.

Oppein’s vast array of finish options, from soft pastels to deep wood grains and glossy whites, lets you design something that blends in or stands out. With trusted materials like solid wood and acrylic, and a seamless design-to-installation journey, your closet becomes a statement of style and smart living.

User Experience and Customer Feedback

Oppein closets are a big choice, so it’s natural to wonder how real customers feel once the system is installed in their homes. Reviews, testimonials, and feedback can shine a spotlight on what to expect day-to-day—inside the showroom and after delivery. Here’s what comes up most in verified customer experiences and what you can do for the smoothest project possible.

Pros and Cons of Choosing Oppein Closets

Customer reviews often reveal the honest highs and lows of working with a major custom closet provider. Here’s a balanced look at what people love and what sometimes falls short with Oppein.

Pros

Most customers highlight these advantages:

Quality Materials: People consistently praise the natural look and durability of Oppein’s wood veneer, matte, and glossy lacquer finishes. The cabinets and closet units feel sturdy and professional, with a fit and finish that rivals or beats big domestic brands.

Design Flexibility: Reviewers enjoy the level of customization, noting the value of Oppein’s 3D virtual preview and the ability to choose everything—from shelf layouts and finishes to hardware and lighting. The option to see a realistic digital model before ordering gets high marks for reducing surprises.

Competitive Pricing: Many buyers mention better value compared to local high-end brands. You get access to premium looks and features without the extreme markups, especially for larger or whole-home projects.

Technology and Process: Oppein’s use of digital design tools and automated manufacturing helps people feel confident about accuracy. Quality assurance checks before shipping, plus professional installation teams, add extra comfort. Several reviews call out helpful designers and project managers by name.

Cons

Recurring drawbacks mentioned in feedback include:

Delivery Times: Some customers report longer than expected lead times, especially on larger custom projects. Delays can be weeks or even months if there’s a backlog or shipping hurdles. This is a frequent pain point in mixed or negative reviews.

Communication Gaps: While a lot of buyers had responsive project managers, others found it hard to get timely updates, particularly if something went wrong. A few mention difficulty reaching a supervisor or slow post-sale replies.

Fitment and Measurement Issues: A handful of reviewers describe problems with mismeasurement or installation errors. Sometimes shelves or panels didn’t fit perfectly, or required on-site adjustments, leading to frustration and schedule slips.

After-Sale Support: Several reviews flag hit-or-miss support once the main part of the project is finished. Some clients found getting follow-up help or repairs for minor issues wasn’t as smooth as expected.

Summing up, Oppein scores strong marks for materials, flexibility, value, and design support. However, speed, communication, and after-sale support can vary depending on location, scale, or the local partner you deal with.

Tips for Getting the Best Results with Oppein Closets

Oppein closets can turn any room into an organized showcase, but you’ll get the most from your investment by taking a few key steps during your project. Here’s what experienced customers and designers recommend.

1. Keep Communication Clear and Regular

Always document every request, design change, and agreement by email or in writing. Don’t rely on verbal promises alone.

Stay in touch with your assigned designer or project manager. Don’t hesitate to ask for updates or clarifications if timelines shift.

If you hit a snag and can’t reach your main contact, escalate early via phone or the main customer service portal.

2. Double-Check Measurements and Plans

Insist on a professional home visit for measurement, if available, instead of doing it yourself. Measurement mistakes are one of the biggest sources of fitting problems later.

Review your 3D design carefully, and compare it against the space in your home. Walk through the planned flow—doors opening, shelves at the right heights, enough hanging space. Even a few inches can make or break satisfaction.

Take photos and keep copies of plans and dimensions so everyone has the same reference.

3. Know the Post-Sale Support Process

Before you commit, ask about warranty terms, after-sales support, and who your contact will be for repairs or adjustments.

Get a list of available installation services and clarify if local partners will be involved. Understand what is and isn’t covered once the closet is in.

If anything arrives damaged or doesn’t fit, report it right away (ideally with photos). The quicker you raise an issue, the better the chances of a speedy solution.

4. Plan Your Project Timeline Carefully

Build in extra time for production and shipping, especially if you’re remodeling more than one area.

Ask for a realistic timeline upfront and check what happens if there are delays.

5. Read Up and Compare Experiences

Check reviews and testimonials not just for overall ratings, but for stories involving projects similar to yours (walk-in, built-in, or modular).

Look for patterns—if people in your area mention long lead times, plan accordingly.

Taking these steps helps you stay in control and reduces the risk of a stressful experience. Great organization at the start leads to a smoother installation and a closet you’ll be proud to use every day.

How Oppein Closets Compare to Other Brands

Finding the right closet system means weighing more than just looks and basic layouts. Each brand comes with its own strengths, weaknesses, and price tags. Oppein is part of a crowded field, sharing the market with names like California Closets, IKEA, The Container Store, and Poliform. Let’s break down how Oppein stacks up when it comes to pricing, customization, quality, and service.

Pricing: Value for What You Get

When people shop for a new closet, price is usually the first thing they compare. Oppein closets tend to sit in the mid-range—higher than mass-market retailers like IKEA but less expensive than top luxury brands. Here’s how it shakes out:

IKEA: Generally offers the lowest prices, with basic systems starting under $1,000 for a small setup. Fewer custom details.

The Container Store (Elfa, Avera, Preston): Flexible, with pre-designed kits from $900 to $12,500+, depending on size and options.

Oppein: Sits in the middle. Their price reflects quality materials (wood veneer, lacquer, matte or gloss finishes) and the ability to custom-tailor your space. Larger, fully customized walk-ins will run less than high-end Italian brands but cost more than flat-pack kits.

California Closets / Poliform: Premium pricing. Expect to pay upwards of $175 to $1,800+ per linear foot, and total projects can reach $15,000 or more for bigger installations.

Oppein stands out for offering rich finishes and solid construction at a price closer to mass-market brands. If you want a stylish, tailored system with lots of options, but don’t want to pay luxury prices, Oppein often hits the sweet spot.

Customization: Your Design, Your Way

Customization is where Oppein shines compared to many competitors. Some brands offer basic choices—finish, handle, shelving. Oppein and other top custom brands let you dig deeper. You can plan every shelf, drawer, and accessory to fit your lifestyle.

Oppein: Full 3D design previews, wide range of finishes, dozens of accessory options, and the flexibility to truly tailor each system. They even mimic luxury looks like textured wood or marble, often for less.

California Closets: Known for deep one-on-one consultations and detailed custom work, but at a higher cost and a longer timeline.

The Container Store: Plenty of adjustments and upgrades with mid-range systems like Elfa Decor or Preston, but you’re still working with modular, off-the-shelf parts.

Closets by Design / Inspired Closets: Custom layouts with quick installs, but usually fewer options for materials and finishes compared to Oppein or California Closets.

IKEA: Simple custom sizing and accessories, best for modular designs. You assemble it yourself, so truly odd spaces can be a challenge.

Key takeaway: If you want your closet to fit your unique taste or have unusual needs (like shoe islands, jewelry drawers, or glass doors), Oppein gives you nearly the same flexibility as top-tier brands, but it remains budget friendly for most projects.

Quality: Materials and Craftsmanship

Quality can be hard to judge on looks alone. Cheaper brands often use thin particle board or low-grade finishes that won’t last. Oppein aims to set itself apart by focusing on both visual appeal and build strength.

Oppein: Uses solid wood veneers, thick MDF, durable lacquers, and eco-friendly boards where requested. Most reviews (and third-party rankings) consider their fit and finish a step above American DIY systems, with better edge-banding and solid hardware.

California Closets / Poliform: Premium hardware, custom edge details, thicker panels, and high-end materials. These brands lead the way on craftsmanship—but at a steep price.

IKEA / Modular Closets: Practical but simple. Panel thickness and finish choices are limited. The quality matches the lower price.

The Container Store: Offers three levels of finish (from budget Elfa Classic to high-end Preston) but mostly stays in the middle when it comes to overall durability.

Bottom line: Oppein’s quality usually beats most mass-market options and rivals many American custom brands. You don’t get every luxury detail, but the materials hold up, and customer feedback regularly mentions sturdy drawers and doors.

Service: What Happens Before and After Your Purchase

Service can make or break your experience, especially with custom installation. The bigger the project, the more important clear communication is.

Oppein:

Offers in-person or virtual consultations.

Designers use 3D visualization so you know exactly what your closet will look like before ordering.

Installation is usually handled by trained partners or Oppein’s own teams, but quality varies by location. Some regions get glowing reviews, others report communication gaps and long lead times.

California Closets: Known for their white-glove service from start to finish. Most projects get a single point of contact, professional installs, and great follow-up, but you pay for that premium experience.

The Container Store: DIY options and professional installs available. Service is usually prompt but depends on how much you’d like their team involved. Less hand-holding than the full-custom brands.

IKEA / EasyClosets: DIY only—or you hire your own installer. Support is limited after purchase, though online documentation is decent.

What to expect: With Oppein, your experience depends on local showrooms and partners. If top-level service is important, read local reviews and don’t be shy about clear communication up front. In the best cases, you get personal project management and quick solutions. In tougher cases, expect delays or spotty follow-up after install.

Quick Comparison Table

Here’s a handy snapshot to see how Oppein stacks up vs. other well-known closet brands: Brand Price Customization Quality Service Oppein $$-$$$ Extensive High (mid-premium) Good (varies by locale) California Closets $$$$ Complete Premium Excellent The Container Store $$-$$$ Moderate Mid-range Decent (DIY/pro option) IKEA $-$$ Limited/Modular Basic Self-service/DIY Poliform (Italy) $$$$$ Bespoke Ultra-premium White-glove

Final Thoughts on Comparing Oppein

Oppein gives homeowners a lot to work with. They combine the creative freedom and durability of much pricier brands with a more down-to-earth price. While installation and service quality depends on your area, most buyers get a high level of customization and a more polished look than off-the-shelf systems. If you want a closet that feels custom (without the sticker shock of European imports), Oppein is a serious contender. Carefully manage your project, communicate closely with your design team, and your new closet can be both functional and stylish for years.

Conclusion

Oppein closets hit a sweet spot for anyone who wants strong quality, real design choices, and fair pricing. You get customizable options, solid materials, and finishes that hold up well to daily life—all backed by a brand with a proven global track record. Most reviews praise the build and style, though lead times and service do depend on your local team.

If you need a closet that is tailored to your space and want your investment to show in the final result, Oppein checks the right boxes. Take time to work closely with your designer, double-check measurements, and set clear expectations from the start.

Choosing a new closet is a big decision. Oppein gives you the flexibility and craftsmanship many homeowners look for, without luxury markups. Thanks for reading—share your experience below if you’ve tried Oppein, or let us know what matters most in your next closet project.