#Fragile Ecosystem

[drumlincountry]

[Redacted for confidentiality reasons] But yeah one of my coworkers was threatened with a gun the other day. So I guess we ARE challenging things.

[desertcrater]

wilson is diabolical in s3 ep2, especially because a few episodes prior its established that he eats neediness. if someone becomes independent from him, he can't stand it. typically this means he divorces them; but since house isn't his husband, this time it means he instigates house's psychosomatic depression.

both cuddy and cameron are on Team Tell House He Didn't Fuck Up, because they know house is on a quiet downward spiral. they know his leg pain's severity is tied to his self-worth/mental state.

but wilson? Mr I-Pathologically-Need-To-Be-Needed Wilson? he frames his Don't Tell House position as "teaching House humility" when really his motive is to get house back on vicodin and reliant on him. he even tosses a full vicodin pill bottle at house, claiming that it's so house doesn't skip rehab due to the pain. but if that were the case, why not give house something non-addictive? something OTC or non-restricted?

and i think there is an additional aspect in s3 ep1, too. house says he doesn't remember wilson "being this bitchy", and wilson replies that "the vicodin dulled it. in the sober light of day, i'm a buzzkill."

which could just be a dry humor remark, sure, but i think it highlights that their dynamic's going to change now that house is sober. and if their dynamic changes, it could threaten their weird codependent ecosystem that they live in. one where they both tolerate/exacerbate each other's worst qualities (house's misery and wilson's bitchiness). who will love me like he loves me? who will love him like i love him?

this is exemplified in that same episode. wilson shoots house down multiple times when house says he's a changed man, by replying: "no, house, you aren't."

wilson does this manipulative thing where on one hand, he's encouraging house to get better; yet on the other hand, he undermines any true progress. there is something so deeply wrong with wilson. he's so fearful of losing the codependency in his relationship with house, that he'll do anything to keep their fragile Boy Best Friend Status Quo. and that includes outright lying to house & actively sabotaging his rehab.

that also includes manipulating cuddy and cameron into keeping quiet. ironically, he's only able to do so because of his Boy Best Friend relationship to house. after all, who knows house better than wilson? who would know how to make house feel better more than wilson? who would know how to make house feel worse more than wilson? nobody loves house like wilson

[evilminji]

The Anti-Ecto Acts... could literally start WW3

I am sitting here, contemplating China. The country. Literally one of THE OLDEST countries. With a truely massive population. And... I will admit my ignorance. But from what I have heard? They are big on honoring the Dead.

Their Dead.

The Dead of China. Hundreds of millions of souls. Which, statistically, would mean the average human ghost has a good chance to come from the region. And they are not alone.

Again, my ignorance curses me, but if my general knowledge is to be believed? It is a common practice in Asianic Countries. Oh sure, they won't argue there might be BAD ghosts. But that's to be expected! There are bad PEOPLE! They die.

They have monks and priests for such things. Specialists. Ancient problem, tried and true solutions. They move on and have lunch, consider what options there are for dinner. Business of the day and all that.

But THEN.

Fanatics from the West. Painting themselves as Men Of Science, not only dare to play god, but tear open a hole to THE AFTERLIFE? And start ATTACKING indiscriminately? They stand before an international stage and spew clearly bigoted pseudoscience, to justify their genocide, while ALSO letting God's and demons run roughshod over the WORLD, just so they can try to convince everyone they have the right to MURDER YOUR ANCESTORS?

They OPENED THAT GATE! They LET THEM OUT! There is a difference, culturally, for many of your countries between the soul of a dead man (powers be damned) and a SPIRIT OF LIVING STORMS.

You are not IDIOTS. Tigers are dangerous. Wolves are dangerous. But someone walking into a crowded mall and releasing frightened wild animals DOES NOT mean we go into the wilds and start killing! We charge the madmen you attacked innocent people!

The fact that tigers and wolves are dangerous IS NOT NEW. The fact that the souls of the dead are dangerous is ALSO not new! It is not malicious. It is INHERENT. A state of being. That is why they are not encouraged to linger! We love them, but this world is not built for them. It is fragile and barren, built for the living.

But dear sweet FUCK, the WROTH.

How? Many countries EXACTLY. How many religions? SPECIFICALLY honor and protect the dead. Declare in no uncertain terms, the SANCTITY of the soul?

How many people have LOST somebody? A friend, a lover, a CHILD.

And in one breath you give them hope then THREATEN it? "They may still be out there... we are going to brutally torture them to death. Because your loved ones are animals to us."

The UN would have the SINGLE most ugly, barely contained, riot imaginable. Spiritual Leaders would be tearing CHUNKS out of the US. The Pope, the Dalai Lama, you name it. You can NOT invade THE AFTERLIFE and not have it IMMEDIATELY become a religious concern.

Not to mention the international SAFETY concern. One countries actions? Unleashing beings that can effect the GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM? The ENTIRE planets weather? Plunged EVERYONE into Eternal Sleep??! How can that not be considered DILBERATE after the first one!

Your grand idea is to ANTAGONIZE them? Make MORE of them come through??

"Kill death itself". You fanatical NUTJOBS! That's not even a NEW hypothetical! That ends HORRIFICLY for literally EVERYONE. Eternal starvation, suffocation, crushing, and worse! We suck the planet dry, over populate so horrifically we end up BURIED UNDER OUR OWN CHILDREN, and suffer FOREVER without the release of death!

You fucking MORONS! Eternal life is a well known CURSE!

Their science is shaky at best, hardly peer reviewed. DEEPLY unethical. And clearly dangerous! Radioactive!!! In a population center?! How many innocent people have been exposed!?

And if the Ghost are reaching OUT? Imagine meeting long dead countrymen, who come to you fearing for their very SOULS. Who have lived in peace. Unknown to you, for CENTURIES. Who beg you, in YOUR native tounge, to help. Talks of people disappearing. Fear and desperation.

This is not to say world leaders are great and benevolent figures, free of greed or sin. Nor their governments. But it is quite another thing entirely, when they talk... and all you can think is "you are talking about my dead father. My late wife. My deceased son."

When they spew their HATE. And back hand your loved ones by doing so.

What powerful person has not lost SOMEBODY.

All this? And I have not even TOUCHED on the shit storm DC would add on top. The Drama? The IMMEDIATE near certain SMITING? You want to MURDER Superman's FAMILY??? I'd say pick a god and pray, but you've already made enemy of ALL of them.

So... good luck and get fucked?

@hdgnj @the-witchhunter @stealingyourbones @nerdpoe

[rebeccathenaturalist]

So this is a really creative solution to a pernicious ecological problem! The short version is that arid ecosystems like deserts are quite fragile. For example, many have soil that is covered in a thin biocrust that can be damaged just by walking or driving on it. And because life needs water to grow and recover, these super-dry ecosystems may not be able to repair a footprint or tire track for over a century.

However, arid ecosystems are often some of the least understood because they can be difficult to access. And they suffer from P.R. issues because deserts are often seen as "bad" ecosystems full of death and nothingness, and because we do legitimately want to avoid the desertification of other native habitats.

In order to raise awareness and appreciation of these landscapes, biological surveys that tally the living beings found there help show how biodiverse they can be. And when we know more about how abundant or scarce a given species there is, it gives us more impetus to protect them, especially those that are at risk of extinction.

These paramotorists were able to fly across Peru's lomas (coastal fog deserts), which primarily receive scant amounts of moisture from mist. They collected plant samples to take back to scientists, carefully recording where they were found. And because they were able to fly long distances, they could minimize the amount of time their feet were on the ground and therefore minimize their impact on the local ecology.

At a time where it seems every interaction between motorized technology and nature is a negative one, this is a pleasant departure. yes, of course we wish we weren't in a place where we have to be worried about increasing extinction and other ecological woes. But let's take the wins where we can; the morale boost is crucial to being able to keep looking toward a better future.

[mindblowingscience]

A new species of Antarctic dragonfish, Akarotaxis gouldae or Banded Dragonfish, has been discovered in waters off the western Antarctic Peninsula by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The species, named in honor of the recently decommissioned Antarctic research and supply vessel (ARSV) Laurence M. Gould and its crew, exemplifies both the unknown biodiversity and fragile state of the Antarctic ecosystem. Described in the journal Zootaxa, Akarotaxis gouldae was initially identified through genetic analysis. Larval specimens collected off the coast of Antarctica while trawling for zooplankton were originally thought to be Akarotaxis nudiceps, a closely related dragonfish. However, after comparing their DNA to Akarotaxis nudiceps specimens housed in collections at VIMS, Yale University and the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, France, significant variations in mitochondrial gene regions suggested the larval samples were a species unto themselves.

Continue Reading.

[chaifootsteps]

fun fact about ocean clean up efforts, or not fun, actually: ocean surface skimming nets kill more creatures than they save. the pacific garbage vortex is actually a bustling ecosystem of fragile surface life. the only way to clean up the ocean without devastating the surface species is with hand-pick clean-up and stopping the plastic from even getting to the ocean with good river clean-up efforts.

hand-pick cleanup is actually far more efficient than the big fancy trawler nets. what those trawler companies are doing pales in comparison to the efforts of hand-pick boats.

trawler net clean-up indiscriminately kills and threatens with extinction hundreds of thousands of surface snails, fish, jellyfish, sea slugs and countless other species that live on the ocean's surface and colonize our trash.

only ever donate to hand-pick clean-up efforts.

Well, shit. The more you know, I guess.

Thanks for the info!

[foggieststars]

For the one word prompt: landoscar (fireworks)

this got very long and slightly angsty ... enjoy <3

-

Oscar finds Lando hours after the crowds have gone home, when the trophies have been packed neatly away into boxes, fireworks still firing into the sky, exploding in a blaze of glorious colour.

He's on a balcony at the rear of the McLaren motorhome, watching the empty track. There's a champagne flute dangling loosely from his fingers, chin propped up on his hand.

"You alright?" Oscar asks, hovering nervously.

Lando doesn't acknowledge that Oscar's spoken, so Oscar moves forward until they're standing next to each other. "Lando," he says, quieter. "Can we talk?"

Lando snorts, the first noise Oscar's heard from him since they'd toasted to Oscar's final race with McLaren, hours ago now. Oscar had meant to find him earlier, but everyone had wanted to say goodbye to him. He'd been unexpectedly touched by it; all these people, even mechanics from Lando's side of the garage, coming up to shake his hand, wish him good luck with his new team.

New team. The words still send a tingle of anxiety down Oscar's spine, even though he thinks it's the right choice. When you cut through the haze of emotion, sever the messy ties of loyalty and indebtedness, you're left with nothing but cold, hard facts.

The car had been good, so it had made sense to stay. The car is no longer that good, so it makes sense to leave.

It's something Mark's excellent at. It's something Oscar's trying hard to be good at.

It's something Lando's never been great at.

"Lando," Oscar repeats, shifting so that their shoulders are touching. He can see Lando's face like this, silhouetted alternately in hazes of red, blue and gold, fireworks crackling above their heads. "C'mon."

Oscar hates having talks like this. Lando never makes it easy.

"What, Oscar?" Lando says, voice rough. His eyes are shiny in the light. "What'd you want me to say? Goodbye? See you later? Keep in touch?"

Lando shakes his head, and his curls bounce. He's grown his hair out in recent years. Oscar likes it, though he thinks fondly of the scruffy mop Lando had had when they'd met for the first time. When Lando stuck his hand out for Oscar to shake and said, "Alright? Welcome aboard."

"Something like that would be a start," Oscar says, voice hoarse.

Lando sighs, tilts his glass so the small amount of liquid in it wobbles precariously. It's no longer bubbly; gone flat in the heat.

"I don't want to say any of that," Lando says. "Fuck, Oscar. I don't want any of this."

Oscar doesn't know what he means. Doesn't want Oscar to leave? It feels - too hopeful, maybe. Doesn't want a new teammate is more likely. Lando hates alterations to his routine, things which threaten to upset the fragile ecosystem of his world.

"We had a good run though, didn't we?" Oscar offers, nudging Lando's shoulder with his own.

Lando shrugs, sulky and petulant. Oscar hates it when he gets like this. He always feels like he's saying the wrong thing, winding Lando up even more. Five years as teammates, three years of - whatever this is, and still Oscar's never been able to figure him out. Never managed to untangle the thorny snarls in Lando's mind, work out what makes him tick.

"Whatever, mate," Lando finally says, standing up straight and draining his glass. He plonks it down on a nearby table, so hard that Oscar practically feels the reverberations in his bones.

Oscar catches his wrist as he turns to go, pulls Lando into his body. There's not much height difference between them, but it comes in handy on occasions like this. Lando resists him at first, and then curls into Oscar, tucking his face into the side of his neck.

Even when he's in a bad mood, all he ever wants is someone to reach out and touch him, reassure him that it's all going to be okay.

"'s not like I'm going far," Oscar points out, pressing the words into Lando's curls like a kiss. "I'll literally be one garage over."

Lando makes a wounded noise, like the reminder of it is too much.

"And I'll be at your flat all the time this break, if you'll let me."

Lando stills against his body, and then pulls back. "Oh," he says, surprised. "What, really?"

Oscar's eyebrows twitch together. "Um, yeah?" he says, laughing nervously. "I barely even keep any of my stuff at my flat anymore. It'd be a bit annoying to have to buy a new telly. Mine broke like a year ago."

"Right," Lando says, eyes bouncing around, unable to settle on any one thing for too long. "Right - okay. So, like. You still want to - do this, then?" he asks, gesturing between their bodies.

Oscar tilts his head, rubs circles into the bones of Lando's wrist with his thumb. "Course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

"Dunno," Lando says, a shade defensively. Those are definitely tears glistening in his eyes. "I thought, like. Because we weren't gunna be teammates anymore, you'd, like. You know?"

Oscar might not always get him, even after all this time, but he's well-versed in Lando-speak by now. "What?" he laughs, shocked. "You thought that'd be it? Nice knowing you, mate, and thanks for all the blowjobs?"

"Guess so," Lando says, wiping his nose with his sleeve like a toddler. Something in Oscar's chest clenches at the sight of it. Lando wearing a hoodie in the thick heat of the desert. He's not meeting Oscar's eyes. "'S what Daniel did."

Oscar can hear his heartbeat loud in his ears. "I'm not Daniel," he points out redundantly.

Lando peers up at him, lashes clumped together with tears. "Yeah?" he croaks, biting at his bottom lip.

"Yeah," Oscar echoes. "You bloody idiot. Do all Australians look the same to you, or something?"

Lando laughs, but it comes out shaky and wet. "Something like that."

Oscar twists his hand, twines their fingers together. "I'm not going anywhere," he promises. "Me going to - it doesn't mean anything. Not for us, okay?" He squeezes Lando's hand.

Lando's bottom lip is caught between his teeth. "You promise?" he asks, sounding absurdly vulnerable and young.

"I promise," Oscar says, and pulls Lando in for a kiss.

It's stupid, and risky, and senseless. Anybody could see them like this, twined together in a poorly-concealed corner. Zak could come bursting through the doors right this second. A journo might be lurking in the paddock after-hours.

Oscar doesn't care. All he wants right now is this: Lando's plush mouth against his own, teeth scraping against Oscar's bottom lip, fireworks sizzling in the night sky above them.

[grapejuicedragoon]

Deicide King Caesar

An ancient guardian, born of flesh and rock. He was created to be the Warden of earth protecting the planet at any cost, During the first and second Era of Guardians Caesar took his role greatly to heart for it was the very thing that gave him life, he put the safety of the planet and it's life above all else even if that meant cruelty to other kaiju, he was known to have Brutally and mercilessly slain many kaiju who had gone rogue and threatened earth's fragile ecosystems and because of his foresight he imprisoned many kaiju that he could foresee disrupting the planets balance in the future making him have bitter relations with any who managed to escape their prisonment. Though after many millions of years he would slowly mellow out becoming less cruel, part of this was because of his close relations to the other protectors the divine moths since many did not approve his methods of enforcing peace. He eventually agreed to become a peaceful knight and protector of humanity under the guidance of fellow guardian mothra. However his passed would comeback to haunt him after Megalon a kaiju he had imprisoned during the second Area would escape and seek vengeance.

here he is the cat. hes the personal antagonist to megalon in deicide also the reason he looked a bit different the first time i drew him because it was him when he was younger at Era 2

[notwiselybuttoowell]

Peat bogs, which cover 3% of the world’s land surface, are special places. While historically often considered as worthless morasses, today they are recognised as beautiful habitats providing environmental benefits from biodiversity to climate regulation. However, they are threatened by drainage, land reclamation for agriculture and peat cutting for fuel, which has significantly reduced the extent and condition of these ecosystems on a global scale. Bogs are fragile and sensitive to change, whether by human hands or by processes such as climate change.

A less well known aspect of bogs is their remarkable archaeological potential. In their undisturbed state at least, bogs are anoxic (oxygen-free) environments due to their saturation. These conditions are hostile to the microbes and fungi that would normally decay organic material such as the remains of plants, which are the principal constituents of the peat. The same anoxic conditions also offer protection from decay for organic archaeological remains. The vast majority of objects and structures used by our ancestors were made from organic materials (in particular wood). These are normally lost on dryland archaeological sites but can be preserved in peatlands.

But archaeology is only part of the story these environments have to tell. They are important archives of the past in other ways: the layers of moss and other vegetation that make up peat are themselves immensely valuable as archives of past environments (palaeoenvironments). The manner in which peat accumulates means that the deposits have stratigraphic integrity, meaning that contained within each layer can be found macroscopic and microscopic remains of plants and other organisms that shed light on landscape change and biodiversity on timescales ranging from centuries to millennia. The high organic content of peat means that these records can be dated using the radiocarbon method.

The best known such records are probably pollen grains which provide evidence of past vegetation change. But evidence from other organic material can be used to reconstruct other past environmental processes. For example, single-celled organisms called testate amoebae, preserved in sub-fossil form, are highly sensitive to peatland hydrology and have been extensively used in recent years to reconstruct a history of climatic changes. Meanwhile, fossil beetles can tell us how the biodiversity and nutrient status of a peatland has altered over time.

The potential of bogs to preserve both environmental and archaeological records means that they can be regarded as archives of “hidden landscapes”. The accumulating peat literally seals and protects evidence of human activity ranging from the macroscopic (in the form of archaeological sites, artefacts and larger plant and animal remains) through to the microscopic (pollen, testate amoebae and other remains) material that provides contextual evidence of environmental processes.

[plethoraworldatlas]

Sign the petition in the article

Every uranium mine ever operated in the United States has required toxic waste cleanup. We can’t let destructive, toxic mining operations destroy this precious desert monument.

Bears Ears, named for twin buttes that resemble a bear’s head peeking over the horizon, is home to stunning red rock vistas, desert wildlife including coyotes and the threatened Mexican spotted owl, and ancient cliff dwellings and petroglyphs.

This place is priceless — but already, one site outside Bears Ears has become a “radioactive waste dump,” with more than 700 million pounds of toxic waste dumped there from past uranium projects.

Bears Ears was just recently restored to its rightful size after the Trump administration shrank its boundaries by 85% back in 2017. We can’t let it be put at risk again — especially not by new uranium mining right next door, which is devastating to land, water and air wherever it takes place.

The threat to Bears Ears

Atomic Minerals Corp. says it has a green light to drill 25 exploratory holes just outside Bears Ears in search of uranium. If the company finds uranium — and it likely will, given the “off the charts” radioactive rock revealed by old oil wells in the area — it’ll sell off claims to mine it.

What will that mean for this fragile desert ecosystem?

Open pits where topsoil has been ripped away to reveal ore. Chemicals pumped into the earth to dissolve uranium out of the surrounding rock. Radioactive waste left in pools when the mining and refining is done

[greenhorizonblog]

Wow people really misunderstood my recent post about technology.

I obviously do not mean all technology is bad, and I even wrote in the tags of the original post that I would deem healthcare an exception. This really should go without saying but a lot of people here seem to love to take everything in the worst faith and interpretation possible.

If you take our current context into account and have followed the news these past few months/years you would have correctly deduced that I was talking about smart tech, like smart phones, smart appliances, smart watches, those weird meta goggles, AI and the fragility of the internet and digital systems in general as we saw a good example of in the recent crowdstrike outage.

If you argue that these things would not exist without the profit motive, then yeah I can agree with that but if you argue they would regardless then that combined with the production of this tech, which even if you produce them with well paid labour, still requires that you dig a massive hole in the ground and cause so much damage and pollution to the local ecosystem, which in most of the countries in question is already threatened and burdened.

Also I am anti capitalist! I know these things are driven by profit motive, which is bad. I am just of the belief that even in a world without profit motive, this smart tech would still have a lot of downsides and creates bad incentives, like filming other people without their consent for views or doing dangerous/hateful things. People still chase likes and engagement in bad ways even when they're not paid for it. It's a human instinct to want to be seen and admired in some way. There are many other forms of currency than money, that humans greatly value and seek.

I personally would love it if communication and entertainment tech went back to how it was in the early 2000's or even 80's in some cases tbh. Where you could actually physically own the the movies and games you bought ect. Phones didn't have cameras (or at least not very good ones). It's nice to see a growing number of people realising this and replacing their smart phone with a 'dumbphone'. And we could still have the internet, but have it be more robust and non profit driven (already swooning at the thought of an internet with zero ads aah)

Call me nostalgic but that's just what I hope for a post capitalist world's tech

[karagin22]

Old thing was not scary, so let's try new thing. Yes because plants growing and producing more food doesn't result in famine and death, and they hate humanity

[didanawisgi]

"Anyone familiar with biology will recognize that biological systems and phenomena are often very complex. The more one studies biology in detail, the more one becomes aware of its intrinsic complexity. Molecular biologists will certainly agree with this. The level of sophistication increases even more as biological systems become more vulnerable, especially when interactions with other biological systems create dynamics that are vital for their maintenance. This is why the level of biological complexity within entire ecosystems culminates at a point that is difficult for humans to fully comprehend.

But what is the biological significance of this complexity? The complexity of biological phenomena often resembles a real spiderweb, where, much like a busy traffic intersection, many paths cross and change direction. By alternating steps in one direction with steps in another, often even opposite direction, it becomes possible to continuously adjust, modulate, and refine biological processes and reactions. This not only leads to a high degree of sophistication, and therefore vulnerability, in vital biological phenomena but also to a high degree of versatility and diversity. It is precisely this variation that is crucial for ensuring that complex, and hence more fragile, biological systems can thrive, even in the face of environmental threats. This is especially true when these threats come from biological agents that have evolved to sustain themselves with a much lower degree of biological complexity and vulnerability. It is precisely the spectrum of variations generated by the complexity of biological processes themselves and the myriads of mutual interactions with other systems that creates a wide range of possibilities for these vulnerable systems to adapt purposefully to threatening environmental factors. This adaptation occurs through the natural selection of the random’ variant(s)’ whose phenotypic complexity confers a competitive fitness advantage in hostile circumstances.

If the responsiveness of autonomously living biological organisms consisted only of a simple black-and-white reaction, then the confrontation with an unfavorable environmental factor would either result in a large-scale extinction of the species or in its widespread survival, ultimately leading to other factors that could also threaten the species' survival (e.g., depletion of food resources or other detrimental consequences of overpopulation). However, when the adaptability of an entire ecosystem—such as an animal population interacting with a pathogenic germ—is undermined by an unnatural, ill-adapted large-scale intervention, the population's capacity to effectively control the pathogen is at risk of gradually declining. It is not difficult to understand that this is particularly true when the 'hostile' environmental threat comes from a viable biological agent that, due to its primitive reproduction strategy, is much less vulnerable because it only needs to survive and reproduce within the safe environment of a host cell, such as a virus. In this way, the roles are reversed, and the more evolved and vulnerable organism gradually loses its ability to adapt, giving the more primitive adversary a strategic advantage.

For those who have followed my insights and predictions regarding the endpoint of the ongoing immune escape pandemic, this precisely explains how mass vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic has actually benefited the virus's adaptation, rather than that of the Covid 19 (C19)-vaccinated population. The systematic breakthrough infections in C19-vaccinated individuals have led to a collective reduction in the immune system’s adaptability (i.e., adaptive immunity) of highly C-19 vaccinated populations, thereby improving the survival chances of the less vulnerable virus. The adaptive capacity of highly C-19 vaccinated populations has eventually been limited to protection against virulence through polyreactive non-neutralizing antibodies (PNNAbs), a protection that we know does not evolve further and cannot prevent the virus from spreading (and thus adapting). Because the evolutionary dynamics of the virus, fueled by nonpharmaceutical infection-prevention measures and mass vaccination, have caused the antigenic stimulus that maintained the concentration of these antibodies to disappear, it seems more than plausible that this human-induced viral dynamics will ultimately pull the emergency brake to prevent the extinction of highly C-19 vaccinated populations. Indeed, if the collective immunological adaptability is restricted to the extent that it prevents the development of herd immunity, then only a higher degree of adaptability of the virus can offer a solution. The evidence of the virus's increasing adaptability has become clearly visible for quite some time, especially since the emergence of Omicron. At the current stage of this immune escape pandemic, the virus's adaptability is only further stimulated by the increasingly reduced capacity of highly C-19 vaccinated populations to control viral spread and replication.

There is no doubt that under the significant but 'misplaced' immune pressure exerted by highly C-19 vaccinated populations, the virus’s unchecked adaptability can only escalate. This escalation could ultimately give the unvaccinated part of these populations the opportunity to establish herd immunity through epigenetic reprogramming (‘adaptation’) of their innate immune cells, thereby breaking the cycle of ongoing immune escape by the virus.

It is also logical that when the robust adaptability of vulnerable biological entities is disrupted, it may take some time before their stability is collectively undermined and the system collapses under hostile pressure. Nevertheless, it’s clear that when small cracks in a dam’s wall begin to expand into larger fissures, the system’s stability deteriorates very rapidly, and thus the metastable system can suddenly collapse, much like a thunderbolt striking out of a clear sky. Such entities will therefore likely be caught off guard…

Together with those who criticize the timeline I predicted for the termination of the C-19 immune escape pandemic, I am amazed by the remarkable resilience of the complex biological system involved. This can only mean that the ability of our mammalian immune system to collectively adapt to far less biologically complex pathogens is truly spectacular and shows a resilience of unprecedented magnitude. Such remarkable resilience can only be destroyed by large-scale, unnatural and thoughtless immune interventions, but not in a way that nature has not provided a contingency plan to ensure the survival of our species..."

[agentnico]

The Bikeriders (2024) review

Norman Reedus shows up for only 5 minutes and yet still has more dialogue here than in the entire 11 season run of The Walking Dead.

Plot: Over the course of a decade, a Midwestern motorcycle club evolves from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang, threatening the original group's way of life.

My screening was not full on this one, but of the people that were there it was primarily older women. I was wondering why this was the case until an arms naked Austin Butler popped up on screening and began flexing over a pool table, and I could literally feel the audience around drooling and then some. But in reality the target audience for this film are men, and more so men who love/ride motorbikes. As The Bikeriders is a deconstruction of coolness and biker culture as a macho posturing that is really an incredibly fragile ecosystem of male relationships and values. But there are so many cool bikes in this, and a lot of scenes involve guys just sitting around a bar endlessly chain smoking and chatting crap. For one I absolutely dug the sound design. Of course it could have been the good sound system of the cinema I was in (the Everyman) but I felt every rev of the engine. The sound is so forceful, it’s like being caught in a carburettor of a Harley Davidson. This partnered with a fantastic music soundtrack as it freewheels you through the many hits of the 60s and 70s, from The Stooges to The Shangri-Las, the sound is this movie’s secret weapon.

This movie is very much a guys hang-out sesh, and yes there is a loose narrative reminiscent of Goodfellas and even Tom Hardy’s Legend, but overall this is Jeff Nichols’ generalised outlook of the motorbike culture from a individual who seems absolutely infatuated with this community. As much as I loved the feel of this film and I was never actually bored at any moment, due to the structure of it all there wasn’t a single character I cared about. They’re all macho guys trying to showcase how badass they are, but essentially that’s all they have to them. The performances across the board are all engaging, but the reason we connect with them is purely cause we’re fans of the actors themselves. Austin Butler is a modern day movie star through and through, and since Elvis he’s been effortlessly cool non stop. Tom Hardy puts on a strikingly thick Chicago accent and again, is great to watch. Michael Shannon and Norman Reedus show up with crazy hair-dos and messy almost-barbaric physicalities, and Jodie Comer is a stuck in a narration bit and her character essentially only works as a romantic foil to provide the movie with some limited emotion, which is what it lacks.

The Bikeriders is a perfectly enjoyable crime drama that is an entertaining time, but also boils down to kind of nothing. There’s not much meaning to be found here besides the classic “let’s be cool”, however as a jacket wearer myself I got a big dig at seeing the various outfits and leather jackets characters were wearing. Essentially you won’t be disappointed when seeing this on a Saturday night, but chances are you will forget quite quickly.

Overall score: 6/10

[karnikam24]

REBORN AWAKENING

Emiko's eyes fluttered shut as the car crashed, her world going dark. She had given up on life, feeling trapped in a mundane routine, uncertain about her future.

But death wasn't the end.

Emiko's spirit was reborn in the mystical realm of Tenria, where magic and wonder reigned. She opened her eyes to find herself in a lush forest, surrounded by towering trees and the soft chirping of birds.

Confused and disoriented, Emiko stumbled through the forest, searching for answers. She encountered Lyrien, a wise and enigmatic mage with piercing blue eyes.

"Welcome, Emiko," Lyrien said, his voice warm and gentle. "You've been brought here for a reason. Your journey begins now."

Emiko struggled to accept her new reality. She grappled with survivor's guilt, wondering why she was given a second chance.

Lyrien guided Emiko to the ancient city of Eldrador, where she began learning about Tenria's magic, history, and culture. Emiko discovered she possessed unique magical abilities, inherited from her past life.

As Emiko honed her powers, she helped those in need, using her abilities to heal, protect, and bring hope. She saved a village from a dark sorcerer, realizing the value of her actions.

With each triumph, Emiko's perspective shifted. She saw the beauty in Tenria's world and the worth of her own life.

One fateful night, Lyrien revealed Emiko's true purpose: she was the chosen Luminari, destined to balance Tenria's fragile magical ecosystem.

"But I'm not worthy," Emiko protested, haunted by past regrets.

Lyrien's eyes sparkled. "Your past is what makes you worthy. You've been given a second chance to redeem yourself."

Emiko confronted the darkness within herself and the world. She mastered her powers, forging alliances and facing challenges.

As the balance of Tenria's magic began to shift, Emiko realized her journey was far from over. Ancient evils stirred, threatening the realm.

With Lyrien by her side, Emiko embarked on a perilous quest to restore balance to Tenria. Together, they battled dark forces, Emiko's powers shining brighter with each victory.

In the final confrontation, Emiko faced the mastermind behind the darkness: a shadowy figure from her past life.

"You should have stayed dead," the figure sneered.

Emiko stood tall, her heart filled with purpose. "I was reborn for a reason. To bring light to this world."

With a burst of Luminari energy, Emiko defeated the darkness, restoring balance to Tenria.

As the realm celebrated, Lyrien smiled. "Your journey is complete, Emiko. You've found your purpose."

Emiko's eyes shone with tears. "I've found myself."

THE END

[travelella]

Arctic Ocean

The world's smallest and most shallow ocean. It is also the coldest and least salty ocean.

About the size of Russia.

The Arctic Ocean is divided by an underwater ocean ridge called the Lomonosov ridge

Located at the North Pole, the Arctic Ocean has polar ice. Over the years, glaciers have melted threatening sea levels to rise.

Despite the IHO recognizing it as the “Arctic Ocean”, some oceanographers still call it the “Arctic Sea”.

The Arctic Ocean is the most diverse in terms of fish species. It has a wide variety of marine species including whales, jellyfish, etc.

But because of its frigid temperatures, it has little plant life. This makes it one of the most fragile ecosystems on the planet.

Area

Total: 15.558 million sq km

Area - Comparative: Slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Includes: Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, Norwegian Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Coastline: 45,389 km

Ocean Volume: 18.75 million cu km

Percent of the World Ocean Total Volume: 1.4%

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Bathymetry

Continental Shelf: A rather flat area of the sea floor adjacent to the coast that gradually slopes down from the shore to water depths that are typically less than 200 m (660 ft). Dimensions can vary: they may be narrow or nearly nonexistent in some places or extend for hundreds of miles in others. The waters above the continental shelf are usually productive in both plant and animal life, both from sunlight and nutrients from ocean upwelling and terrestrial runoff. More than one quarter of the Arctic sea floor is continental shelf. The Eurasian shelf is very wide extending out 1,500 km (930 mi) and is the largest continental shelf in the World. 

Barents Shelf

Beaufort Shelf

Davis Sill

Chukchi Shelf

East Siberian Shelf

Kara Shelf

Laptev Shelf

Lincoln Shelf

Continental Slope: Where the ocean bottom drops off more rapidly until it meets the deep-sea floor (abyssal plain) at depths exceeding 3,000 m (9,850 ft) water depth. The deep waters of the continental slope are characterized by cold temperatures, low light conditions, and very high pressures. Sunlight does not penetrate to these depths, having been absorbed or reflected in the water above. The continental slope can be indented by submarine canyons, often associated with the outflow of major rivers. Another feature of the continental slope are alluvial fans or cones of sediments carried downstream to the ocean by major rivers and deposited down the slope. 

Litke Trough

Novaya Zemlya Trough

Svyataya Anna Trough (Saint Anna Trough)

Voronin Trough

Abyssal Plains:  At depths of over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) and covering 70% of the ocean floor, are the largest habitat on earth. Sunlight does not penetrate to the sea floor, making these deep, dark ecosystems less productive than those along the continental shelf. Despite their name, these “plains” are not uniformly flat; they are interrupted by features like hills, valleys, and seamounts.

Baffin Basin

Canada Basin

Fram/Amundsen Basin

Greenland Abyssal Plain

Iceland Basin

Makarov Basin

Molloy Deep; note - deepest point in the Arctic Ocean

Nansen Basin

Norwegian Basin

Mid-Ocean Ridge: Rising up from the abyssal plain, is an underwater mountain range, over 64,000 km (40,000 mi) long, rising to an average depth of 2,400 m (8,000 ft). Mid-ocean ridges form at divergent plate boundaries where two tectonic plates are moving apart and new crust is created by magma pushing up from the mantle. Tracing their way around the global ocean, this system of underwater volcanoes forms the longest mountain range on Earth. Fracture Zones are linear transform faults that develop perpendicular to the line of the mid-ocean ridge which can offset the ridge line and divide it into segments. 

Gakkel Ridge

Mohns Ridge

Undersea Terrain Features: The Abyssal Plain is commonly interrupted by a variety of commonly named undersea terrain features including seamounts, guyots, ridges, and plateaus. Seamounts (see Figure 1) are submarine mountains at least 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high formed from individual volcanoes on the ocean floor. They are distinct from the plate-boundary volcanic system of the mid-ocean ridges, because seamounts tend to be circular or conical. A circular collapse caldera is often centered at the summit, evidence of a magma chamber within the volcano. Flat topped seamounts are known as guyots. Long chains of seamounts are often fed by "hot spots" in the deep mantle. These hot spots are associated with stationary plumes of molten rock rising from deep within the Earth's mantle. These hot spot plumes melt through the overlying tectonic plate as it moves and supplies magma to the active volcanic island at the end of the chain of volcanic islands and seamounts. An undersea ridge is an elongated elevation of varying complexity and size, generally having steep sides. An undersea plateau is a large, relatively flat elevation that is higher than the surrounding relief with one or more relatively steep sides. Although submerged, these features can reach close to sea level.

Lomonosov Ridge

Gakkel Ridge

Alpha Ridge

Mendeleev Rise

Chukchi Plateau

Ocean Trenches: note - there are no oceanic trenches on the Arctic sea floor

Atolls: note - there are no atolls found in the Arctic Ocean

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Highest Point: Sea level

Lowest Point: Molloy Deep -5,577 m

Mean Depth: -1,205 m

Ocean Zones: Composed of water and in a fluid state, the ocean is delimited differently than the solid continents. The Ocean is divided into three zones based on depth and light level. Although some sea creatures depend on light to live, others can do without it. Sunlight entering the water may travel about 1,000 m into the oceans under the right conditions, but there is rarely any significant light beyond 200 m.

The upper 200 m (656 ft) of the ocean is called the euphotic, or "sunlight," zone. This zone contains the vast majority of commercial fisheries and is home to many protected marine mammals and sea turtles. Only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth.

The zone between 200 m (656 ft) and 1,000 m (3,280 ft) is usually referred to as the "twilight" zone, but is officially the dysphotic zone. In this zone, the intensity of light rapidly dissipates as depth increases. Such a minuscule amount of light penetrates beyond a depth of 200 m that photosynthesis is no longer possible.

The aphotic, or "midnight," zone exists in depths below 1,000 m (3,280 ft). Sunlight does not penetrate to these depths and the zone is bathed in darkness.

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Natural Resources: Sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural Hazards: Ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May

Geography - Note: Major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months

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Environment

Environment - Current Issues: Climate change; changes in biodiversity; water pollution from use of toxic chemicals; endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Climate: Polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature range; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

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Ports and Terminals

Major Seaport(s): Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation - Note: Sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways