#knowledge + action

[betzs-things]

Place Igor Stravinsky

[somewhereincairparavel]

i will never understand how people have the heart to hate Jason even after they found out that his Ambrosia tastes like fucking sawdust. Ambrosia being tasty is like one single happy thing a demigod can have despite their tragic lives, because it reminds them of the home they once had, but lost. And Jason doesn't even have that, he doesn't even have a home to lose in the first place.

[reasonsforhope]

"In 2024, the United Nations recognized seven landmark projects worldwide as outstanding examples of success under its ongoing Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030).

One of them was Acción Andina (Andean Action), an initiative that has launched 25 restoration and conservation projects focused on the high-altitude Polylepis forests of Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia.

More than 25,000 people from 200 communities have restored nearly 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres) of these forest and protected more than 11,250 hectares (27,800 acres) of existing woodland.

The initiative next aims to expand into Colombia and Venezuela.

...Co-founded by the nonprofit organizations Global Forest Generation and Andean Ecosystems Association (ECOAN), Acción Andina aims to protect and restore high-altitude Andean forests in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Ecuador, ensuring the preservation of vital water resources for millions of people across the region.

In fact, last February, Acción Andina was recognized by the United Nations as one of seven flagship initiatives for global restoration. The U.N. has declared 2021-2030 as its Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, emphasizing not only the urgent need to conserve remaining natural areas, but to restore what has already been lost...

“We witnessed immense suffering and hardship in the local and Indigenous communities of the Andes,” Aucca recalls. “So, my friends Gregorio Ferro, Efraín Samochuallpa, Willy Palomino and I decided that if we were going to enter the world of conservation, we had to do something for these communities. That’s how ECOAN was born. What sets us apart from other organizations is that we implement conservation initiatives in direct coordination with local actors — ensuring that our work benefits the communities themselves.”

Among friends and colleagues, Constantino Aucca is known simply as “Tino.” He says 2014 was a turning point for ECOAN, driven by his frustration with the empty rhetoric and lack of action on environmental issues at the U.N.’s series of annual climate summits, or conference of the parties (COPs).

“As a group, we decided to send a message to the world that action is possible,” he says. “In a single day, we planted more than 57,000 [queuña] trees high in Huilloc [in Cusco, Peru]. We called the event Queuña Raymi, or the Festival of the Queuñas.”

From that year on, Queuña Raymi gained traction across the Peruvian Andes, and Aucca never stopped dreaming of expanding the initiative to other Andean countries. “Queuñas grow from Venezuela to Patagonia,” he points out. In 2018, with the support of new international partners, that dream became a reality, giving rise to Acción Andina.

“In 2018 I was deeply interested in facilitating investments in forestry initiatives,” says Florent Kaiser, CEO of the NGO Global Forest Generation. “That’s when I was contacted by Constantino, and he told me about his project. He told me that to truly understand it, I needed to go to Cusco. That day changed my life. He invited me to the Queuña Raymi where, in a single day, nearly 1,000 of us planted almost 100,000 trees.

“I had never seen anything so powerful,” Kaiser adds.

Global Forest Generation was founded alongside Acción Andina with the goal of serving as a strategic ally: amplifying global communication efforts, influencing policymakers, and tackling challenges that often hinder local NGOs.

This partnership between ECOAN and Global Forest Generation has allowed Acción Andina to expand beyond Peru, bringing Aucca’s vision to life across five South American countries. Today, it stands as a U.N.-recognized success story in ecosystem restoration.

“It takes a single chainsaw to cut down a forest, but it takes a community to restore and sustain it,” UNEP’s Andersen said when announcing Acción Andina as one of the U.N.’s seven Flagship Initiatives for Global Restoration. “By bringing people together, and using both Indigenous values and scientific methods, Acción Andina is helping to revive natural water sources, create jobs and support communities to grow even stronger.”

Since 2018, Acción Andina has launched 25 projects, engaging at least 40,000 people in the restoration of nearly 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres) of Andean forests and the protection of more than 11,250 hectares (27,800 acres) of existing woodland. More than 200 local communities have benefited from expanded economic opportunities through reforestation and conservation efforts. These include the development of community microenterprises, such as tree nurseries dedicated to cultivating queuñas, as well as improved access to health care services, water collection systems, cleaner-burning clay stoves, and solar panels."

-via Mongabay News, February 14, 2025

[cat-cosplay]

I could have lived without the knowledge that there was a live action Wallace and Gromit short that is truly cursed.

[milkamel]

I’ve been thinking about Fount of Knowledge and beasts in general lately. Devsis know what they’re doing when they’re throwing crumbs of information at us but no clear backstory for the guy. They know that Shadow Milk is one of the most mysterious and important beasts and that revealing things too early wouldn’t be wise. Also he’s a fan favorite lol.

Anyway what got me thinking was the term “beasts” in general. I don’t know if it's just me but this name feels kind of dehumanizing (or in their case decookienizing-?). As if the talk is about the creatures who are feral, unintelligent and cannot be reasoned with, when in reality these beasts are like other cookies, just more powerful and created for a bigger purpose. The whole description of their fall from Elder Faerie made that first impression on me, they feel intimidating and unpredictable.

I just wonder if virtues were viewed the same way? Not as cookies with feelings but as a symbol of a certain virtue? When it comes to Fount I have a headcanon that he was treated more like a “living library” rather than a person. He didn’t have any meaningful connections (besides the other beasts) as cookies viewed him as someone above them, a godly creature they cannot reach and only use him to gain knowledge he offers (kinda similar to Mystic Flour and how cookies demanded her blessings and even resorted to violence when denied).

And even Shadow Milk’s good gift affection line kinda hints at that?

“Ha-ha-ha! Not bad. What do you want?”

Like who reacts to a gift like that? It’s as if he expects to be asked of something in exchange for it (like when gods are given offerings so they’d share their wisdom) and it’s a normal occurrence which is sad. This cookie doesn’t know genuine kindness or compassion of course he freaked out when PV offered it to him, perhaps he expected it to be a trap because that’s how it usually is.

It’s no wonder he got corrupted. Imagine being created with the sole purpose of fulfilling such an important role and having big expectations without being able to decline. No childhood, just an endless knowledge in your head by default that you must share with others, kind of hard to stay sane.

And if we assume that one of the reasons why Shadow Milk started telling lies was because cookies didn’t like the knowledge he presented it becomes even sadder. That’s his purpose, what he was created for yet he’s being disliked and judged for doing that? Then what he’s supposed to do? Does he even do his job right? That’s what the witches wanted yet others don’t seem happy. He isn’t happy.

(The whole milkcrowns and tear-themed things related to Smilk that I heard ppl mention make it worse ngl)

But he is quite fulfilled when he breaks away from that role and does what he wants. When he’s the puppeteer and not on the strings, when he finally has control and freedom. No expectations, no responsibility, just a world you can twist however you wish. And when he finally has it he gets locked away. Tragic fate.

I feel bad for every beast but Fount,, oh my precious Fount,, he breaks my heart

(can't believe such a majestic cookie turned into this thing)

[sweatermuppet]

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[shkoffu]

An anvil a day keeps the... wait a minute

ONE OUT OF [REDACTED] DOCTORS AGREE !!!

[that-faerie-in-the-corner]

to my knowledge there is not that much evidence in sources from the time to suggest that Helen's abduction was a cut-and-dry Paris-dragged-her-away-kicking-and-screaming kind of kidnapping, but I think the thing that some people (looking at you, Hollywood writers, put the Gods back where you found them) forget about the situation is that Helen was promised to Paris by Aphrodite. The Judgment is, at the very least, canon to the Iliad's timeline, is it not? A major goddess made an oath to him that as reward for favoring her, this woman would be his, one way or another, that he is owed her

Even if Helen was genuinely infatuated with Paris of her own free will and totally wanted to go with him, is "no" really an option for her in this situation? Could she deny the will of a literal goddess? Like, wow Paris, it sure is convenient that the most beautiful and desired woman in the world, who a Goddess told you could have without asking her, who is the queen of a nation-state (as opposed to the princess marrying you would make her), has been married for some years (to, according to some versions, a man she got to pick! which was pretty fucking rare at that time!), has a young daughter to take care of, and generally an entire established life in the place she was born and raised just so happens to also be SUPER into you and totally willing to uproot her entire life for you and run away to a foreigner's land she's never been to and would not be welcome in (where she might not even speak the language) after knowing you for like, a week. That's really great for you, Paris. Nothing suspicious or Deus-ex-machina-like happening here at all.

not even mentioning Helen's comment to Aphrodite that boils down to "What now? You've got another boyfriend for me in Gods-knows-where you're going to whisk me off to?" Not even mentioning Aphrodite threatens Helen when she doesn't want to sleep with him after his duel with Menelaus

If she ever liked Paris in the first place, she definitely doesn't seem to like him by the time the Iliad takes place, she misses her home and her family and her life and yet she's still walled up in Troy. She certainly didn't want to be pawned off onto another random son of Priam after Paris's death. I guess you could argue that maybe she's staying out of fear of retribution, but no one asks her if she wants to go back and honestly I get the sense that Paris would not let her if she demanded it. Perhaps more importantly, Aphrodite wouldn't let her. She's not giving up her chosen woman without blood being spilled

[oldbutchdanielcraig]

daniel was so enthralled and delighted seeing louis' fangs, was fascinated with the knowledge that armand can read minds, that it stands to reason he would go balls to the wall insane to find out armand can fly. in the 70s he'd ask armand to do it all the time and armand would always do it so daniel would cheer for him and get all excited again. so in dubai in 2022 when armand is revealing himself as the ancient vampire and not the servant boy, i like to think he was like "well, there's one surefire way to make sure this reveal makes daniel's eyes bug out and makes him freak out and go crazy and realize how cool and hot and powerful i am." and then he just. starts fucking flying

[darkandstormyart]

i need to know the entire story of their marriage and divorce

[reality-detective]

When nature doesn't mess around 🤔

[furtrapperfantasy]

It is actually much better to focus all of your attention and effort on one political issue or cause idk where people are getting this moral imperative to be as aware as possible of everything going on anywhere at any time but, a) awareness itself actually has no effect! and b) if you're attempting to act on behalf of 50 causes at once you're pretty much limited to tokenism and gestures. knowledge and effort when focused in one direction, on the other hand, accumulate momentum over time.

[tompiexd]

i'd like to think that the hosts actually heard the ancient builders' cries for help, but instead of doing anything, they were just watching the downfall of them, as if it was some of the best movies they have ever watched in their entire existence.

foresight: *is wearing 4 movie glasses* "i like where this is going"

knowledge: "the wither is coming to get them!! i don't think they'd make it??"

action: *hides their eye* "ahh!! so scary ○[ "

[lafaiette]

Some spoilers for Veilguard

I'm still convinced Solas was the happiest he had ever been when he was in the Inquisition.

Addressed as a scholar and wise expert of the Fade, asked for advice on magic and lore, surrounded by people who can potentially become dear friends and respected companions, potentially falling in love with Lavellan and being seen by her as simply Solas, and not the rebel god Fen'Harel. Some people consider him a bit odd, yes, and some can't help but refer to him as "messere", after witnessing his wisdom and knowledge, and talent with ancient elven frescoes.

"He wants to give wisdom, not orders", Cole says in Trespasser, and we're all sure he's referring to him, to what really drives him, his true passion: learning and sharing knowledge, asking and answering questions, not planning rebellions, killing, and lying. And for some time, Solas was able to live that simple life, so be what he really wanted to be: a man, not a god.

Now, in Veilguard, he's forced back on the path of rebel and trickster, and he's treated just as the Evanuris treated him during his rebellion.

Everyone in Thedas is looking for him (the Venatori, the Antaam, the ex-Inquisition); everyone is talking about him, everyone knows what he did (the Veil Jumpers in Arlathan say he's "a bastard", "the god of lies", but acknowledge the good reasons behind his rebellion); his agents kill and steal in his name; Rook and their companions explore his main base and peer into all his memories and regrets without permission, because they see him as an adversary, so they feel allowed to do that.

He's not the nondescript, respected hermit mage of the Inquisitor's inner circle anymore - he's a well-known, feared, hated, misunderstood figure once again, forced to constantly flee and hide in dangerous, ruined, forgotten places (in the comic The Missing he sleeps in a small room underground, surrounded by darkspawn!).

He's under the spotlight once again, starting a ritual he doesn't really want to do ("Do you believe that I would do this if there were some other, better option?").

I think he will never be able to be friends with Rook, at least not in the same way he was able to be friends with the Inquisitor and the Inquisition companions, because his full identity is out in the open now - he's too important, too awe-inspiring to be simply seen as Solas the Fade expert. The Inquisitor, Varric, and Harding are the only ties to that innocent time he has left.

So I'm hoping he will be finally allowed to be who he really wants to be at the end of Veilguard: not a feared divine-like figure, but a scholar who wants to spread wisdom and live in peace.

[doverstar]

hi, the lilo and stitch remake is a travesty for many, many reasons, and not one of those reasons in your mind should be "the actress who plays nani isn't hawaiian enough" or "they weren't being overt about what I perceived to be the first film's commentary on colonialism" or "because nani gives lilo up at the end, disney is purposely spitting in the face of indigenous people groups everywhere" because the original film's message was not about any of that. (yes, I have seen the deleted scene.) stitch was first conceived as a character who would terrorize a small kansas town. lilo and nani are important as characters and it has zero to do with their race. get your faces up out of the dirt and boycott for the right reasons, or you can leave your boycott licenses right here and go searching for a real working brain, please and thank you. try the yellow brick road, I hear misguided people really like traveling down those

[dykedvonte]

Daisuke to me represents the type of person who you have to bottle up your pain around because they are ill equipped to handle it. He would realistically not know what to do realizing that among the people he idolizes one is this horrendous monster, especially since he is so optimistic to a hazardous level to himself.

This makes his relationship with Anya so upsetting because as much as he could confide in her she could never confide in him. That very conscious fact/choice on her part is a constant reminder of her suffering along with the hopeless inability to do anything herself about it that ruins her mental state more.